Jurassic Park Broken Lives
by Dinohunter55
Summary: A story told of an impossible relationship between a human, Amanda, and a dinosaur, Silver Claw. Contains: Violence, Course Language, Gore, Adult Content, and Sexual Content. Chapters 1-7 updated! Happy New Year!
1. Disaster at the Nest

_Jurassic Park Broken Lives_

Chapter One: Disaster at the Nest

**An eerie mist** hung heavy over the large tropical island of Isla Sorna, sitting in the warm waters of the Pacific, two hundred and seven miles west of Costa Rica. Across the island strange cries reverberated amongst the mountains and valleys, a ghostly fallback to a long lost past. Hidden within these sounds, the calls, cries, and chirps of birds, insects, and mammals resonated faintly. Most prominent of all sounds however was the sounds of crashing waves upon the sharp rocks and cliffs that dropped off the island's edge and into the churning and frothing sea.

In the morning dew and pale light, a vaporous shape appeared within the dense jungle within the interior of the western side of the island. The creature had a foreboding appearance to it as it slipped quietly through the mist, hardly seen and hardly heard. The creature stood upon two legs with arms pressed against its side, a triangular head sat at the end of a long neck and a lengthy tail protruded from the rear to balance the body. It was the form of a predator. And it was not alone.

Silver Claw, a juvenile velociraptor of the proud and strong Western Ridge Pack, leapt through the foliage and landed upon a fallen and rotten log on which moss and fungi were thriving. His sleek body and powerful muscles allowed him to land easily and yet keep his balance as he came to a complete stop. With a predatory yet weary gaze, he turned his head back towards the direction he had come from and swept the jungle with deep red eyes beneath a prominent blue ridge. As the area appeared to him to be clear, his eleven feathers sitting where his skull met his neck relaxed and laid flat against his blue scaly skin. However a rustle turned them erect and his attention to the surroundings peaked.

It was then that the head of another velociraptor appeared no more than five meters from him. It was a female with much the same appearance as he but with a few notable exceptions. Her amber eyes stared coldly at him as she took a step forward revealing her muscular body, white in coloration and peppered by black spots. She gave a threatening hiss that was truly one of a ruthless predator. She then lowered her body and prepared for the attack.

Silver Claw did not need any more persuasion and so raced off to escape his pursuer. The dew laden leaves slapped his face and chest leaving a residue of cold droplets. Behind him, he heard each and every footfall as the velociraptor pursued him in a chase that could very well mean life and death if he were to be caught. Seconds passed and he burst from the trees, entering a small glade of leaves and sparse mixed grasses.

His eyes darted back and forth looking desperately for some place to hide. He found it. In a swift and graceful movement, he crossed the glade and leapt over a rotten tree covered in thick green moss and laden with large mushrooms. He ducked behind it and held completely still. Through a small gap in the wood where bugs were fleeing his presence, he saw the female velociraptor emerge and come to a complete stop. Her nostrils flared and he heard a heavy snort.

It was now that he could see her in her full form. She stood nearly his height of one meter ten centimeters at the shoulder with a length from nose tip to tail tip of two meters seventy centimeters. Her body although appearing nearly perfect in form had the usual scaring as such was life on the Isla Sorna. Her nostrils flared heavily this time and she spoke in low growls and hisses.

"I know you're here Silver Claw," she spoke coldly and calculatingly. "Your scent is unmistakable." With a quick turn of her head, she looked towards the fallen tree which the object of her chase hid behind. She let out a growl and then showed her teeth menacingly, "Found you!"

Silver Claw held his breath as he saw the female turn towards him and approached with a threateningly fast gait. He readied himself as her sickle-like inner claw rose in anticipation. With every step her head cocked and adjusted as a bird, calculating the next action. In mere seconds, she was so close that each and every breath that she drew into her lungs was as crystal clear and fast as a mountain stream.

It was now or never he thought and tensed the large muscles of his legs. His head began to bob with each of her footfalls, counting down to when he would pounce. Then the time came. He leapt upon the log and let out a high-pitched shriek. He flashed his teeth and claws in the greatest threat display he could muster. He snapped at her neck and slashed at her chest. And in a terrified shriek, the female fell to the ground, visibly shaken. Yet, he did not pursue her any further and instead stood down his aggressive actions.

"That wasn't funny …, or fair," she exclaimed fiercely and righted herself. No matter how hard she tried, she could not hide the fact that his stunt had shaken her considerably. "You know that is not how the game is played Silver Claw." She spoke in a manner similar to the elders when he had done something wrong but he paid no heed to it.

"It was worth it just to see your reaction," Silver Claw replied smugly with his teeth showing as a continued reminder that he was still enjoying the situation to its fullest extent. "Sophia, the mighty huntress of the Western Ridge Pack," He proclaimed and hopped down from the log. "The mighty huntress who was brought down by a simple leap," mocked Silver Claw. It was then realized his mistake as he saw the twitch of her eyelids and he had no time to react as she struck him forcefully with her neck and body.

In an instant, Silver Claw found himself pinned to the ground beneath the form of an angered predator. Then to humiliate him further, she placed one foot upon his neck, letting the sharpest of the claws touch the soft area near the jugular. And to top it off, she bent over and using her arms, tossed leaves and dirt onto his body as if she were building a nest but did not continue for too long, just long enough to prove her point.

She held him there for a moment and then turned her head to his ear. "How's this for bringing down a mighty hunter," she whispered mockingly. "You know what I want to hear so say it."

"I don't think so," Silver Claw said and squirmed but to no avail as she made sure that he was not going to escape until she was ready to release him. "Please let me up," he said in an almost pleading manner to appease her, although it was said more halfheartedly than anything else. That was clear to Sophia.

"You know what I want to hear," She repeated then added, "Who is the top hunter?"

Silver Claw was able to look up far enough to see the determined look in her eyes. She really wasn't going to release him until he said it. Then with great reluctance he told her what she wanted. "You're the greatest hunter on this island and far greater than I am. There I said it. Are you happy?"

A toothy grin was his response as she proudly perked her head up and then released him from his humiliation. As he stood and shook the dirt from his scales, Sophia made an affectionate purr and licked some of the grit from around his head. "There," she said, "it wasn't so bad now was it?" She didn't get a response.

Instead, Silver Claw made his way to the center of the glade and sniffed around. He couldn't smell anything else of interest in the area and so turned back to Sophia. "What do you think we should do now," Silver Claw asked, "or would you like continue to continue this game."

"I don't want to continue but I can't think of something else to do," Sophia replied with a tinge of disappointment and joined him at the glade's heart. "What do you want to do?"

He let out a heavy exhale and looked at her, "I don't know but I am a little hungry, do you think we should find the carcass from a few days ago?"

She simply shook her head before answering, "There is nothing left, remember, after we finished the Compsognathus moved in and ate what we didn't."

"Oh," he paused a little, "Yeah I remember now."

"Well if you're that hungry, we could check the stream for anything. Maybe I can show you my mighty hunting skills." Sophia reassured him in a soft voice but couldn't hide the slight annoyance of his thinking of food during their time together. But then something popped into her mind. "I even thought of a game we could play on the way there." She showed her teeth.

"What's that?" Silver Claw asked but before he could finish, she had already started running in the direction of the stream, he tail swinging back and forth almost as if it were taunting him to follow.

"Catch me if you can," Sophia shouted back to him as she disappeared into the dense foliage.

"No fair," Silver Claw said to himself as he began his pursuit of Sophia. A minute passed and yet he did not catch sight of her. Even her scent became lost in the heavy aroma of flowering shrubs, damp moss, and decomposing leaves. He could not hear her even as the wildlife around became quiet. Another minute passed and he moved out of the jungle and onto the muddy bank of the clear stream.

As he looked around the edge of the steam, he saw a number of unnerving large footprints as well as dozens of small prey ones but none of the prints were from Sophia. She was nowhere in sight. He glanced around at the thick bushes that lined the edge of the bank. There was no movement.

"If you're hiding and trying to scare me it isn't going to work Sophia. You can come out now." Silver Claw looked around nervously as he didn't get a response. "I mean it Sophia." No response came. Now he began to get increasingly nervous, not of her jumping out at him but rather something happening to her on the way. "Sophia, where are you?" He looked around and then noticed a rustling in the bushes, "Sophia?"

Sophia emerged from the bushes to his right, "I wasn't trying to scare you." She turned her head down and bit into the body small creature. She then lifted it up in her mouth. It was a Compsognathus, a small green predator that more often scavenged than hunted but was worrying in the fact that it had a mildly venomous bite that caused one, once bitten, to slowly fall asleep, faster if there were multiple bites. Quite often they would begin to eat something even before the venom had taken full effect. Sophia chewed slightly causing blood to run down both sides of her jaw and drip to the ground.

Silver Claw's mouth began to water as the scent wafted into his nostrils. Very soon the saliva dripped down the side of his jaw in long strings and onto the bank. Sophia then continued by saying in a slightly muffled manner, "You passed by me because I found this but I guess you didn't hear me when I told you to stop." She shifted her jaw slightly, "And because I am the expert hunter around here, I guess I will show mercy on you inexperience and share it with you." She then moved the tail end hanging out of her mouth in a slight teasing manner, wagging it as if it were still alive. "Come here and get your half."

"Thank you Sophia," Silver Claw said with an appreciative demeanor. He walked over to her with his feathers down. He stopped. His mouth opened and he sank is teeth into his half of the Compsognathus. However, his nose touched Sophia's and a rush of warmth washed over both of them. They paused for a moment and then Sophia purred softly. Silver Claw responded in kind and then nuzzled her softly. A moment passed and then Silver Claw broke it by tearing his half apart from hers with a loud snapping and splitting of the flesh and bone. He chewed it slightly and then tossed back his head to swallow it in one loud gulp. Sophia soon did the same knowing that the venom would not bother her without being bitten by the creature.

"You're welcome," Sophia replied and stepped forward to rub her neck against his. She let out a soft purr and continued past him so that she could drink from the stream. Silver Claw turned and followed her. He bent down and began to lap water. However something caught his eye.

He cocked his head and then lunged instinctively. His head retracted with a flailing fish in his grasp. Quickly, he cast the fish onto the ground and stuck it with his sickle-claw. He then looked to Sophia who returned his gaze with an annoyed stare. In his attack, he had splashed her. "Sorry," Silver Claw said softly.

Sophia returned to drinking while Silver Claw bit into his new meal but spit it out. "How is it," Sophia asked although she already knew the answer. "Slimy or distasteful, or is it both?" She made a low chirping sound, she was laughing at him. "I fed you and yet you still have the urge to eat, you have to think less with your stomach Silver Claw." She affectionately nuzzled his neck. "If you're still hungry we can find something else."

"No," he let out a slight sigh, "I think that's all for today." He turned away from the stream and rested upon the leaves and thin grasses that lined the muddy bank. He was joined by Sophia. She rested her head on his back and purred softly. Silver Claw turned his head to face her and nuzzled her right behind the crest above her eyes.

Half an hour passed and they remained nearly motionless by the stream. The mist of the morning faded and soon the jungle grew hot as noon grew closer. The sounds of the jungle grew louder around them as the creatures, mostly insects and birds became acclimated to their presence. In the canopy above, several primates leapt from branch to branch in search of a fruit bearing tree. A fish splashed in the stream but its presence was ignored by the predators who only wanted each other's company for the time being.

Sophia at last broke the silence. "I don't think this place could get any better, do you?" She gave affectionate eyes towards Silver Claw who responded in kind.

"Only if we had some warm sand beneath us," Silver Claw stated, "Or something that is like that human thing. What was it called again?" Silver Claw yawned and showed his white fangs, curling his tongue upwards, and then shivered a little.

"I think it was a building, or at least that is what the elders said." Sophia yawned as well and then rested her head against his. "Why, do you think we should go there? It is more isolated than here. Maybe we will find something new. Or get in a lot of trouble."

"Yeah we might," Silver Claw responded. "I was thinking that we could wander north towards the beach but that will do nicely too but this time we let the pack know where we are going."

"Agreed," Sophia said but felt it to be less exciting than if nobody knew where they were; it seemed to take away the allure of being sneaky in their actions and made the place a little less private. "The building it is, we can see a beach from there and we won't have to worry about being attacked with that … fence thing that surrounds it. We could try having a race of who could climb over it again as long as you don't get stuck this time." Silver Claw shook his head in disapproval of her bringing it up. She continued, "And if it gets too hot on the roof we can go inside and explore."

Silver Claw swallowed a little and then looked Sophia in the eyes. "Sophia, I have to ask you something, it's kind of …." He was cut off by a thunderous roar in the distance. It was soon followed by the fierce calls of velociraptors. It was their pack, and they were in trouble. Then came a horrifying call, it was to defend the nests.

Silver Claw and Sophia looked at each other, their breathing had already increased. Without words they jumped up and leapt across the stream, heading in the direction of the nests. They calls grew more intense and painful to hear as they were helpless while so far away from home. Dread suddenly filled them as the jungle grew quiet and then a long drawn out call of a massive dinosaur rang out. Together, they increased their speed until they were running at an almost reckless pace within the trees and shrubs.

For them, the run seemed to be without end as they leapt over roots and ducked under branches. They then entered a denser area of foliage which marked the nearing point to the nests. And then quite suddenly, they broke the tree line and emerged into the light. They stopped and froze stiff with such suddenness that they nearly toppled over.

It had been a massacre in mere minutes. The mangled uneaten bodies of their pack lay scattered about the nesting grounds. One of the elders lay in an unnatural position, bent over a nest and crushed beneath his body were a dozen eggs, the close to hatching embryos lay pale and lifeless. One raptor had been speared on a broken branch but had fallen to the ground, leaving a bloodied rope of intestines still in the tree. While yet another had been torn in two and each half was several meters away from the other. Several members of the pack were unaccounted within the nesting area but it was more than likely that they too had been slaughtered as there were no calls coming from them.

Sophia cried out and fell to the ground. "They're gone … they're all gone!" She let out a painful howl before speaking incoherently to herself. Silver Claw managed to keep his balance but his legs were trembling. It was as if time had stopped or if it were only some terrible nightmare that they would wake up from. But in their hearts they knew that it was nightmare but one that they could not wake up from. This was it, the reality of life laid out before them in a bloody mess for all to see.

Then came a sliver of hope, a faint, almost inaudible, groan from within the nesting area but its direction was unascertainable. Then movement from the far side of the nest, Sophia leapt to her feet. It was a female velociraptor, her head trembled as she tried to lift it up but a gash upon her neck forced it back down. Her eyes caught Silver Claw and Sophia standing on the far side.

She spoke and stuttered in a low but audible and shaky voice, "R-r-r-run! It-it-it was the s-s-s-spinosaurus. I-I-I-it came out of n-n-nowhere a-a-and without war-war-warning." Her head fell to the ground and she let out her last breath as a long, crocodilian snout emerged from the trees and sank into her flesh without remorse. It was the spinosaurus.

The massive carnivore stepped into the nest, holding the limp body of the female velociraptor. The spinosaurus then violently shook its head. Its teeth tore off limbs and shredded flesh. Sickening cracking could be heard as the bones broke throughout the entire body and a wet smacking sound came as the flailing flesh hit the bloodied mouth of the dinosaur. When it stopped only a little of the body was left in the mouth. The tail and head had fallen to the sides and long entrails hung from the jaws.

"Mother," Sophia shrieked, gaining the attention of the spinosaurus who dropped the remains from its mouth. It then inhaled and let out the most god-awful roar that literally shook the very earth beneath their feet.

"Be strong Silver Claw," Silver Claw said to himself. He looked at Sophia but she had frozen in place. The spinosaurus then lunged. Silver Claw shoved Sophia out of the way and felt the snout of the creature touch his tail but it was unable to grab hold of him. Sophia required no more convincing and began to run with Silver Claw behind her.

With thunderous crackling of trees and footfalls that shook the earth, the spinosaurus began pursuit of the two juvenile velociraptors. It was not after food but to rid itself of competition for food. A recent feast was all it needed for the day but with all the energy expenditure it would soon need to feed again.

Silver Claw kept close pace with Sophia as they raced through the dense and unyielding jungle. They had become blinded with fear and despair for their fallen family and the rushing thoughts of what would become of them should they fall behind and be caught by the spinosaurus. Neither dared to look back as they knew the spinosaurus was gaining on them. They emerged from the denser area of the jungle but had no choice but to continue as the spinosaurus now had an advantage over them in the more open area while they were still slowed by shrubs.

Silver Claw's heart was pumping as he heard the footsteps of the spinosaurus increasingly closer to him. He glanced back and saw to see the spinosaurus smash through a tree which partially blocked its path. Then the unthinkable happened. Silver Claw tripped on a small root sticking out of the ground. He hit the ground hard and Sophia kept running unaware that he had fallen.

Silver Claw looked back at the spinosaurus only to see it lower its head and open its bloodied and cavernous maw. It wasn't slowing down. Silver Claw began to panic and his breathing increased to the point at which he became somewhat dizzy. As the massive creature was about to reach him, he rolled to one side. The ground gave and he fell under a large rock. He looked out of the cavern to see the spinosaurus keep going. It couldn't slow down with the number of trees around it and so kept going after Sophia.

A few long moments passed and then he heard the dreadful piecing screech of Sophia and the roar of the spinosaurus soon after. Then silence, the long, cold silence that signaled something had died. He was alone now. His hope that she was alive was drowned by the flood of thoughts that she was dead.

His thoughts ceased as he heard footsteps approaching him. The ground rumbled and soon the stink of the spinosaurus filled the cavern he hid within. Then a massive foot slammed down in front of the entrance. A heavy sniff sent chills down Silver Claw's spine. Just then the snout of the spinosaurus lowered to the entrance and sniffed again. The beast growled. It had found him.

Silver Claw moved as far back as he could and soon saw the eye of the creature peering into the darkness. It disappeared for a moment and for the briefest of time Silver Claw actually thought it may just leave him alone. He was dead wrong as the massive hooked claws of the spinosaurus reached into the cavern for him. They couldn't reach though. And so Silver Claw lashed out with his foot claw and cut the closest finger. The spinosaurus recoiled with a force that lifted the rock slightly and then they entered again but this time digging into the earth. It was trying to dig him out. Again Silver Claw kicked at the fingers and again he hit but it had brought him closer to the entrance.

With a mighty shove, the spinosaurus stuck its head into the cavern and nearly hit Silver Claw. The jaws of the spinosaurus snapped wildly and scattered fleshy chunks of his pack into the cavern. As its frustration grew, the spinosaurus sucked in a large gasp of air and roared. In the tiny space, it deadened Silver Claw so that he could no long her hear anything except a loud ringing that rivaled the roar in intensity. He watched in ringing silence and painful dizziness as the spinosaurus continued to snap at him for well over a minute until it finally pulled out and disappeared.

Silver Claw couldn't hear a thing and so couldn't tell if it had actually left. Either way, he was not leaving for a very long time. And so time went on though it seemed to take forever. The sun began to sink into the west and the air began to cool slightly. In time his hearing had began to return but the ringing was still present although not as bad.

Slowly his thoughts emerged from the haze and turned from the spinosaurus to Sophia and his pack. How could something like that happen? Why had the elders chosen somewhere the spinosaurus could go? However the constant reminding thought popped into the middle of his thoughts. They are dead! They are dead! They are all dead! It kept repeating itself in his mind. It was maddeningly repetitive and cruel. His other thoughts drowned in the realization of death and loneliness.

Night fell and brought an unusual cold to the island. Or at least that was how Silver Claw felt in the cavern beneath the rock with small chunks of his pack surrounding him and a small number of flies still buzzing and active. By now his mind had quieted a little but more of his thoughts had turned to Sophia and what he would have asked her should the events have not happened that day. He shivered and curled into a ball. He whimpered as the last good moments they had together drifted into his mind. He wanted to just play them over and over again but the spinosaurus kept entering his thought, the death and the destruction that it caused as well as the future that would never be.

His thoughts then turned dark and bloody. He thought of how he could perhaps kill the spinosaurus for what had done to him and his family. The thoughts of slashing into its throat and of watching as it bled out quickly entered his head and he wanted to see it done all the more but the realization soon came to him that he would never get the opportunity. He was alone. There was no way he could every kill a creature as large as the spinosaurus without the support of the rest of his pack. There was no way he would ever get his revenge. With a whimper, he curled into a tighter ball and tried to sleep but it would be long night full of startled awakenings and nightmares as every little sound during the night would wake him from an uneasy slumber.

Dawn at last came to Isla Sorna, much to the relief of Silver Claw. He had heard often the dreadful call to the spinosaurus during the night but at least it had been far off in the distance and he knew then that he would not see it if he were to emerge from the cavern. For now he was safe, or so he hoped though his thoughts were untrusting of the world. Slowly his head emerged from the dark and peered around. The jungle was alive with sounds but none were threatening. They were simply the songs of birds, insects, and a few were those of herbivore dinosaurs that were grazing or awakening.

For a moment he sat quiet and alone, listening for a long time to the sounds of the jungle. His instincts told him to go and hunt for a meal to fill his daily need of sustenance to keep his active form healthy for he had not eaten since that which Sophia had given him early the previous day. However he suppressed his instincts in the presence of the thoughts of Sophia, he had not seen her die and so there was in his heart and mind a chance that she might have survived and so he set off in the direction of her passing. It was slow going and entirely guessing since she had not left much in the means of tracks to show her direction after he lost sight of her. His only real path was that made by the spinosaurus and the telltale tracks that it had left behind. He past under large trees and it seemed as if the canopy was swollen to immense size but the trunks ill as the passing of the bulk of the spinosaurus had torn off bark in innumerable places. Then there came a faint scent to attention and he could not ignore it. It was Sophia's, however faint, he could recognize it.

His pace quickened and he drew near to its source. The smell was unmistakable, it was hers and it was not as old as he had thought it would be if she had been caught. He broke into a full sprint. "Sophia," he called aloud for the world to hear for he did not care if it may put his life in danger. "Sophia, where are you!" He passed through a thicket and stopped immediately.

Before Silver Claw opened a shallow chasm where the rock that was the foundations of the island had welled up and broke the surface soil. About it were dried pools of blood and scattered pieces of pale flesh with yet a number of chunks of velociraptor bones, holding what little of the flesh still remained attached. Flies swarmed the air upon his arrival and he had to step back into the thicket. His heart then dropped in his chest, or at least that is how it felt to him. He could not tell if it was Sophia's blood because the smell of the spinosaurus was also strong, and more so there was the scent of the other creatures that were older and fresher. Silver Claw cried out despite the bitter knowledge that she was more than likely dead, "Sophia, Sophia are you there? Sophia! Sophia!" Then more silently, mostly to himself, he whispered, "Please be alive." But no response ever came and after several long and excruciating minutes, he turned his back to the blood and chasm without ever having so much as a peek into it. And so he passed away into the depths of the western jungle.

Grim thoughts passed through Silver Claw's mind. For the better part of a half hour he managed to suppress the thoughts and focus only on the surroundings but soon he was overwhelmed and his mind flooded with conflicts and contradictions. He was as of yet too young to be able to survive on his own without the aid of his pack, or so he thought. Surely he could hunt small things like compsognathus, birds, rodents, and small lizards with the occasional fish on the side, but he doubted highly that he would be able to live off them for any long length of time without growing too weak to continue. His eleven feathers flattened against his head and he let out a soft whimper. He felt the crushing and consuming realization of his being alone fall upon him in full and he wished to curl up in some hole and lay there until he expired. But his instincts to survive, he knew, would never allow him to do that, not without a fight. And so Silver Claw lay upon the ground in full view of the world. He didn't care at the moment if he was found or not. He needed to think without distraction.

Where he could live now was unknown to him. He couldn't return to his pack's nest, not with the decay that would take place there as most of the carnivores in the area were sure to now visit the area. He felt ill at the thoughts of returning to the nest with the exception to say his farewells to the site and if only to reassure that none had survived. Then the thought of the predators feasting on what little remained of his pack made him ill and he felt a slight twisting in his stomach. And so he laid his head upon the ground and closed his eyes. However his quiet did not last as a low rumbling reverberated through his body and his eyes opened instantly. He lifted his head up and cocked it, turned to another direction and cocked it to the other side. Then suddenly he leapt to his feet. Silver Claw looked down to see small stones vibrating.

Then without much warning, there was a loud honking and the forest behind him erupted with Parasaurolophus, Corythosaurus, and Anatotitan. Then there came a harsh gurgling growl of a Ceratosaurus, then a reply not far to Silver Claw's right. He had no choice but to run with the herd. The flailing limbs were to be the death of him Silver Claw thought and knew as he received several hard kicks to the head and tail that he would not and could not last long on his feet. The animals were less worried about him and more worried about the Ceratosaurus that had begun the chase. He was simply an obstacle in their way.

Fearing he would be trampled, Silver Claw leapt up and latched onto a frightened Parasaurolophus. The creature tried to shake him off but in the confined space within the center of the herd, it could do little but run forward and shake to one side or the other by about thirty centimeters. It honked loudly and quickened its pace. The ride was rough and Silver Claw quickly began to ache as his muscles were not developed enough to hunt the larger creatures that inhabited the island. He dared not dig his claws in fully as to harm the dinosaur incase it fell to one side or another but he still drew blood and had to fight some of his instinct to attack. The result would be disastrous to him as three quarters of the herd was behind him and a fall would result in a large pileup with him likely to be the object on which they fell.

Then quite suddenly, the Parasaurolophus swerved to the left and to the edge of the herd, colliding with others and causing some to break off from the main herd. Now it tried more desperately to shake him off. But instead, it only forced Silver Claw to dig his claws in and the creature fell, tossing him several meters away. Before he could completely regain his senses, his ride was up and joined the herd again. Now terror swept Silver Claw as a massive foot crashed down mere centimeters from his face. But then the foot lifted and disappeared. He heard the gurgling growl again, but now they had moved into the distance. The herd had passed and so did their hunters. Silver Claw was alone again.

Silver Claw did not move for a while. He feared a lingering Ceratosaurus and so held still and listened. A minute passed, then two, and finally he felt it safe enough for him to get to his feet. He shook off the dust and leaves and looked around. He was on a wide path cut through the jungle. He looked up to see a crack in the canopy. Dusk was soon coming, and with it was a storm by the color of the clouds. His attention soon turned to the ground again where he noticed a slab of what appeared to be a black rock, upturned by the Parasaurolophus before it fell, if not the cause. He quickly realized that it was the same material as the stone found inside the fence that surrounded the building. He knew that it stretched outward and into the jungle. What it was called, he wondered. A road, Silver Claw remembered back to a story by the elders, the humans who imprisoned them had created stone paths through the jungle by which they travel quickly on machines, or something like that.

He soon came to realize where he was and which way the building was. He decided then and there that he would leave the nest for the building, much of it was yet unexplored by him but he knew that most creatures would avoid it save the occasional wander through. And so he set off for the building. The air, he could feel, was beginning to cool and soon the larger predators would be hunting and he knew without a nesting area, he would not be safe sleeping in the jungle.

The road was rough underfoot and he regretted a few placing of his feet as hard edges jabbed at him. The absence of humans had allowed the road to become cracked and overgrown. The trees had grown close once more and their branches overhung blocking most of the sunlight. In several places, a tree had fallen and crossed the space becoming a bridge where small nimble creatures, unable to cross in the canopy, could safely cross while having clear sight of the area. Soon the grey wires of the fence could be seen down the long corridor of foliage.

Finally, as the sun kissed the horizon, he reached the gate to the compound. It was much taller than he. He couldn't even jump to the top of it. The fence sat a short distance from the building but surrounded it in full and connected to the walls of the building where it met the cliff, the only way in was to climb the fence or use the gate. Fortunately, Sophia had found out how to open it and had done so upon their last incursion, just in case they wished to return but did not wish to race over the fence.

Silver Claw extended his clawed hand and hooked onto the rusting bar that ran the width of the gate. He pulled on it and it creaked and groaned but soon slid open enough so that he could squeeze though the gap. Silver Claw passed quietly into the compound and pulled the gate shut behind him. He turned around and looked around cautiously. He felt uneasy about area since he was alone.

Around him, the grass grew tall and touched his chest. A single tree grew by the entrance however it had diminished and now only a few leaves were still green, if seemed it might soon die. In places, just as with the road, the pavement had been cracked and from it sprouted grass and saplings. To his left, at the corner of the fence there stood a tall building, in which he knew not what it contained. He didn't care to know at the moment. To his right, the fence continued a short distance. And before him the large building lay under a sullen sky. It was dark and mysterious, long abandoned and long forgotten by all but a few. Its disrepair was evident and the grey walls held no color but that of the concrete and moss. In a few places vines snaked up the sides. The entrance still held the glass doors, although they were covered in grime, and the windows beside the doors were cracked or broken but still as grime covered as the doors.

Silver Claw walked forward and stepped onto a raised portion of the ground. He walked up to the door and pushed it open with his snout. Before he entered, Silver Claw scented the air and when he found it to be safe he entered. He looked around the barren inside, save a few objects which had been knocked over. His presence however stirred up a large rat and it scooted away down a hall. Silver Claw however did not chase it. Another thing had caught his attention, a scent foreign to him. Then his sensitive hearing picked up a soft whimpering that came from deep within the structure. His heart jumped and he wanted it to be Sophia, he knew no other creature that made a whimper like that.

"Sophia," Silver Claw cried aloud, "Is that you?" No response came and his curiosity perked. "Sophia!" He listened and heard another whimper. Now he broke into a sprint. He turned down a hall and midway, he stopped, listened and started again. Silver Claw passed numerous closed doors, corridors, tables, and chairs. After navigating the maze, he soon found the room in which the whimpering had originated. He now doubted that it was Sophia and his heart dropped. His curiosity still aroused, he pushed open the door.

What he found would not be Sophia, but something that would change his life forever.

Disclaimer: Jurassic Park is the property of its respective owners. Characters not from Jurassic Park and/or other properties are mine and are not to be used without written permission.


	2. Prey?

_Jurassic Park Broken Lives_

Chapter Two: Prey?

**Silver Claw stood** silent and still in the door to the windowless room, cloaked in darkness save a few minute holes in the walls that did not seem to have any effect on the gloom encompassing the room, and yet the space held a variety of strange scents, only two of which he recognized, one was mold and the other was urine. There was something alive within the room; he just had to find it. His predatory instincts began to take over and his feathers stood erect upon his head. For the moment he had only the scent to go by. And so, he entered the room, slowly and cautiously, prepared for an attack and ready to attack.

A short distance into the room however, he stopped. He could hear a sound, faint as it was; it was that of some creature breathing. He looked around the room, scanning with eyes meant to see in the dark places of the world, under moonless nights and starless twilight. To his right, Silver Claw could see a large net strung like a web from the roof to the floor and spanning the width of the room, where behind it held large wooden crates whose shape was twisted and grotesque from years of neglect and leaking roofing. Beside the net sat a chair bristling with mold and hairy growths. Against the far wall, faint light came from what he could only assume was another door, this one leading outside and possibly to the walk way he had observed on previous trips but had never actually step foot on it. His attention was now drawn to drag marks that crossed that light a short ways before the door. It seemed something had been moved through the mold, leaves and scattered papers, and to the other side of the room. He now looked back to the chair and noticed that the obscurity of the flooring was much harder to see in the darker places and that there had been something sitting in front of the chair. Then his attention turned to the right side of the room where it was barren save a large desk sitting close to the corner and was seemingly the end of the track.

Silver Claw took two steps and then felt and heard the crack beneath his feet. He stepped back and looked down only to see a reflection of himself amongst the broken fragments of a mirror. Then came a shuffling, and a small thud from the area of the desk, whatever was hiding there was now aware, at least partially, to his presence. He had lost the element of surprise. Silver Claw lowered his body and prepared to pounce should the animal show itself. But he was met with a surprise as a large circle of light appeared on the wall and then began to move. Caught off guard, Silver Claw raised his killing claws. The light moved around a bit then flickered and began to turn towards where he was. It first stopped at the outer door and then panned towards Silver Claw. He could not see what was behind the source of the light but whatever it was he had not seen something like it before. He knew of nothing on the island that could produce light like this creature was. Then just before the light could expose Silver Claw, the light went out. Now he could see the silhouette of a creature standing on two legs with two arms and a round head upon narrow shoulders.

"Hello? Who's there?" A soft feminine voice said in a language completely different than that used by the Velociraptors of the island and yet he understood it as if it were his own. He was dumbfounded by this realization that he could understand a creature that was not the same as he. He shook his head; he was unable to fully grasp what that meant and how it could be. "Is anyone there?" The feminine voice asked again but this time it was more fearful and sorrowful. Then he could hear a soft sobbing sound, the creature, whatever it was, was crying. And for some strange reason he did not fully understand, he felt sorrow for this creature and pitied it.

Now the creature disappeared behind the desk and Silver Claw could hear that it was banging on something. His curiosity now peaked, Silver Claw moved over to investigate. He quietly reached the desk, this time careful not to step on anything that would make a sound. Then as he peered around the desk, he looked into a space between the two columns and that is when the light flashed on again. Silver Claw was instantly besieged by an assault to his senses; he was blinded by the light and deafened by a scream. He jumped back so fast that he did not have a chance to notice a crumpled rug and so tripped and slammed hard against the wall. He shook his head vigorously as if it would clear his senses or at very least get the sound out of his head.

The creature that was the center of his attention now took the chance to run for the open door. However by the time it had reached the middle of the room, Silver Claw had regained enough sense and saw the fleeing creature. His instincts took over, the hunt had begun. Whatever pity he had for the creature drained from him and replaced with the nearly single minded task to chase. With a single leap, Silver Claw closed the distance between them. And then with a high screech, he leapt once more and tackled the creature, who screamed loudly, forcing it and him to the ground, hard. Silver Claw had over powered his leap and when they hit the ground, he rolled off the creature and slid across the filthy floor, leaving a streak behind him.

Silver Claw leapt to his feet and backed towards the doorway to ensure he was between the creature and the door. His attention was drawn to her unmoving body and he cocked his head. Was it dead? He wondered for a moment and then slowly stepped closer. A soft groan came from the creature and then he lowered his head to within an inch of her. Then slowly, her head lifted and she looked up and into the jaws of the Velociraptor. She screamed. Silver Claw backed away but his tail hit the wall and flipped a switch. There was a sudden and blinding light. Silver Claw was forced to close his eyes and then he shook his head.

Suddenly a door squealed and then slammed. Silver Claw opened his eyes to see that the creature had disappeared. He looked around. Finally he strode across the room and pushed on the old door. There was a loud creak and then a crack. Then the door fell off its hinges and dropped onto the rusty railing outside, taking it out and then slamming against the grated walkway. Silver Claw swallowed and then looked out the door in time to see the creature disappear around the corner. He stepped back for a moment.

Did he really want to chase this creature any further or did he want to give up and settle in for another miserable night. He had chased it off, if there were no more, he would be fine. However if there were more, what if it came back with them? He shifted uneasily for a moment; there were no apparent dangers to the creature. Then his curiosity grew until it got the better of him as it made him wish to see where it had come from. If for no other reason than to distract him from the pain of the previous day, he felt he should give in and go in search of the creature. At the very least he could track it through the jungle. Its scent was easy enough to follow. Silver Claw swallowed and stepped into the sunlight. He squinted his eyes but they were quick to adjust and soon he could see clearly again.

He had stood there for only a few seconds when quite suddenly the metal beneath him creaked, snapped, and then gave way. Silver Claw had no choice but to leap toward the end of the building as the metal suddenly twisted as it scrapped against the cliff. He hit his chest against the portion of the railing that remained attached to the building and the path and created a space between the structure and the fence by which creatures could stand and look down to the base of the cliff directly below. He latched his forearm claws into the grate and held on dearly while his bulk, his tail, legs and body up to his arms, dangled feely in the air. Beneath him, a loud crash came as the walkway hit the rocky base of the cliff. He began to slide backwards, his arms were meant to hold on to prey but they weren't fully developed for that and the grate was nothing like the fleshy sides of a prey animal. Quickly, he latched onto the metal with his teeth. The rusty taste was foul but he didn't let go, even as his gums began to bleed as a few teeth broke the weathered metal. His body twisted and he managed to catch the cliff. Then slowly, he managed to walk up the cliff until his body was high enough that he could roll the rest of the way onto the walkway.

Silver Claw let out a heavy exhale and staggered to his feet. His limbs shook slightly. His heart raced, and he blinked slightly and looked around. He stepped back a few steps so that he was on solid ground. He looked down and saw the twisted mess bellow and a shiver ran down his spine as the thoughts of what he would look like if he had fallen. At least he would be reunited with his pack and Sophia. His mind began to drift to the events of the previous day. He shook his head, remembering the creature that had led him outside. For now at least, that would distract him from his pains.

Turning to see the worn solid path hugging the building, Silver Claw started to follow it, the scent of the creature still strong. His claws cut through the veining vines that crept from off the path to the building and then up the wall. He didn't rush to the corner and he listened carefully. Silver Claw stopped two meters from the corner and listened. There were no sounds out of the ordinary and so he peered around the corner. Instantly, a path through the long grasses towards the gate caught his attention. He did not need the scent to know the creature had fled into the jungle. At least it would be easier to track it on his home territory rather than inside a human structure. He knew he had the added benefit of the coming darkness, as the sun was now only a sliver on the horizon.

Now his pace quickened as he moved through the tall grass until he reached the gate. The creature had squeezed through the gate like Silver Claw had, and so it was not difficult for him to. He stopped for a moment and tested the air. A distant scent made him uneasy; he could not be sure what it was as of yet but it was a large carnivore. For now at least it was up wind of him and likely did not know of his presence. More confident that he would not be found and chased again, Silver Claw slipped past the gate and looked back and forth along the space between the jungle and the fence.

The creature was nowhere to be seen, and it had not left a great trail as to where it had gone. However, Silver Claw could still smell it. He quickly scented the air and began to follow it. Speedily, he reached a tree where the scent was most prevalent. He looked around and even down but didn't see much sign of the creature. Slowly, he circled the tree and found that the creature had seemingly vanished. And yet, when he returned to where the scent was strongest it lead seemingly nowhere. Then it dawned on him and he looked straight up. The creature had climbed the tree.

About ten meters above him, the creature clung to the trunk and appeared to be holding its breath. Within moments, it realized that Silver Claw knew where she had gone and so she gave a shriek and climbed higher but a branch broke and she fell to a much lower branch. "Leave me alone," the creature cried as she desperately held onto a branch by only her arms, leaving her legs dangling below.

Silver Claw cocked is head at the bizarre sight of the creature above him. It was truly and unforgettable sight for Silver Claw. The creature's flailing legs kicked wildly. Half the effort appeared to be to keep him away while the other half seemed to be directed towards getting hold of the tree. It quickly became apparent that the creature was covered in something not attached to its body as a fabric material was swinging loose from the body. Silver Claw didn't know what it was or why it was covered in something other than what it grew naturally but to him the creature did appear to be like the small primates that were in the trees that he often seen but had never eaten, the fur looking stuff from its head reinforced that but its size was off. A shriek stirred him out of his thoughts and he realized that he could easily grab hold of the flailing legs but decided against it. He was so focused on the creature that he didn't notice that the wind had changed direction.

Then the inevitable happened and Silver Claw jumped back as the creature finally lost its grip and fell to the ground with a horrified shriek. After hitting two branches on the way down, the creature hit the ground but fortunate for it, a thick layer of moss and soft soil absorbed some of the impact but not all, made all the more apparent by a large wheeze as the air was knocked out of its lungs.

Silver Claw cocked his head and only watched as the creature gasped for air and clutched its chest. Then after a moment Silver Claw's presence triggered a fearful look. Their eyes locked and now Silver Claw could see the fear in her eyes. Her whole body trembled and a tear rolled down her cheek. He now realized what this creature was. It was a human! And a female human he realized as he remembered from the descriptions to elders had given!

Stories from when Silver Claw was hatchling poured into his head. He remembered all the dreadful tales of the imprisonment and how they finally escaped, only to be imprisoned again and again. He remembered the anger some of the elders had towards the humans for what they had done. They never knew why they had been kept in cages as long as they had been. Some even said that if they met a human on the island that they would kill them. But Silver Claw also remembered that the human had to use tool to do harm and did not have any real defenses otherwise. Defenseless was exactly what this human looked like before him and again for some unknown reason he felt pity.

Without thinking it out fully, Silver Claw leaned toward the creature even as it began to panic and back away, only to hit the tree and stiffen. He stopped only centimeters from the creature's face and took in a deep breath, scenting it. It smelled of fear, urine, sweat, and tears. Something was different of the creature; it did not seem to share the same cruel traits of the others that the elders had told him of. It seemed almost, sad, maybe as much as he felt.

If he could understand it, then perhaps it could understand him, Silver Claw thought and so said, "Hello, who are you?" No response came. "I'm Silver Claw, what is your name?" He then felt a little stupid; it probably did not have a name. He saw her lips tremble, her cheek twitch, and eyes close partially. And then, it began to leak tears from the corner of its eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you." The creature began to cry out loud.

Silver Claw pulled his head back for a moment and then gently nudged the creature's cheek. He was quickly pushed away. "Go away," a sorrowful voice responded. "Please just go away!" Silver Claw had no idea if the creature had understood him or not. And so he nudged her again and made an affectionate purring sound but again he was pushed away. "Just leave me alone, you …."

A single loud roar interrupted the creature before it could finish. Both Silver Claw and girl looked towards other end of the fence to see the spinosaurus breaking through the jungle, nearly into the open space. Silver Claw did not even have to nudge the creature to get it moving. It screamed and then in a matter of seconds, she was up and running full speed. Silver Claw followed behind closely even though he could easily pass her. For a moment he wondered why the creature had not made for the building and then he realized that he was between her and it and that she was not only trying to escape the carnivorous maw of the spinosaurus but him as well.

The spinosaurus reentered the jungle and quickly pushed aside any trees that came between it and its prey. Its heavy footfalls shook the ground and its bulk rustled the leaves violently. The beast opened its blood encrusted jaws and roared as it gained ground upon the two. However it soon slowed down as they grew further from the compound and the cliff, into the denser areas where the trees did not give as easily and the terrain grew more rocky and uneven.

Silver Claw looked back, to see the spinosaurus slow, although not greatly. And still, it gained ground upon them. If he ran full speed, he knew he could escape. But that would leave the human to a fate he no longer wished upon any creature, not after what it had done to him. The creature ahead of him looked back with teary eyes and shouted something, but Silver Claw did not understand it. Then, the unthinkable happened. She tripped!

With a swift leap, Silver Claw avoided joining her upon the unforgiving ground as she landed with a loud thud followed by a painful shriek. Silver Claw stopped. His breathing quickened. Images flooded his thoughts. Would he leave her to a bloody end? Would he escape with his life and simply leave the defenseless creature? What if it chased him like it did Sophia? Sophia, he thought and then assailed by the reminders of the cavern surrounded by blood. No!

The creature tried to stand but fell down in a painful screech. Silver Claw did not know what to do or where to go but he leapt to her side and clamped down upon the fabric enclosing her body. She screamed again and tried to push him away but he held on and began to drag her away from the approaching spinosaurus. He had only gotten a few meters when the ground he stood upon crumbled beneath his feet and he and the girl tumbled down a rocky and damp embankment until they came to a hard stop in the porous streambed. Above them, the spinosaurus made a sharp turn away to avoid falling and disappeared into the dense foliage.

Silver Claw quickly righted himself and looked around desperate to find somewhere to hide. The spinosaurus was coming back their way and if he did not get somewhere soon, they would both be dead. Desperate, he pressed against a small overhang with his head high enough to see up the slope. The spinosaurus came into view and looked for them but appeared not to see either of them. It sniffed the air and growled deeply.

The realization that he had forgotten to hide the human dawned on him. He looked around but she was nowhere to be seen. Then he noticed the tangle of roots along the riverbank moving, not six meters from him. He hoped it was her. His attention then fixated on the spinosaurus as it began to step cautiously down the embankment. Silver Claw wanted to run for it but he was frozen, not wanting to expose himself. Then as the head of the spinosaurus loamed over him casting a deathly shadow over his puny form, a roar of challenge came from short distance away.

Both he and the spinosaurus looked down stream to see two large carnivores step into full view, at least a blurred shape of something had. The shapes became transparent again but after a few moments flashed a brilliant red color. Silver Claw knew exactly what creatures they were, something just about every animal on the island feared, carnotaurus, a deadly ambush predator that could become nearly invisible when standing still and preferred to hunt at night when they were truly impossible to see without assistance from a bright light source.

A roar of defiance erupted from the spinosaurus as it charged the two carnotaurus. This was its territory and it was not about to share, just as it had done with the velociraptor pack, it would kill them both or die trying. The titans clashed in a loud earthshaking battle. The spinosaurus had the advantage and Silver Claw did not want to be around when it had finished.

He looked back to the tangle of roots, they were no longer moving. He quickly poked his head into them but there was nothing, no human, only her smell. He had lost her already. He pulled out and looked up and down stream, all the while very conscious about the battle raging now out of sight. Her scent had not moved on just as it had not done with the tree she had fallen out of only minutes ago. He looked up the embankment but there was neither scent nor a disturbance. She had to be hiding close. He stuck his head back into the roots, this time further in. He found it!

A small cave lay hidden in the back of the overhang. It was barely large enough to fit a human let alone him. But there was no mistaking that the human was inside, the scent was strongest at the entrance and only grew stronger inside. The battle was near its end. He could hear one creature fleeing and then saw one of the carnotaurus limping its way up the streambed towards him. He had to leave right then or be caught when the spinosaurus caught up to the injured creature. He couldn't risk getting stuck in the hole while the spinosaurus was so close. And so he decided he would wait for it to leave the area and then enter the cave. He just hoped the creature would not been far away.

Following the streambed until he could easily assail the embankment, Silver Claw moved as quietly as he could. Once he started the climb, he heard the roar of the spinosaurus and so ducted into a strong smelling and thorny shrub. Downstream, he saw the carnotaurus had limped to just outside the cave, though fortunately it was on the opposite side of the streambed. The spinosaurus emerged from the jungle and quickly came along side the injured creature before delivering the final blow. The spinosaurus clamped its jaws down on the neck and twisted sharply, nearly decapitating the carnotaurus in a bloody show of force. Silver Claw heard the snapping of the bones even from where he lay hidden.

The spinosaurus was not done yet. It began to rake its claws across the body, mutilating it until it was almost unrecognizable as an animal. The spinosaurus let out a triumphant roar and then turned its back to the carcass so that it was facing the cave where the human lay hidden. Silver Claw grew increasingly anxious as the seconds passed by. Had the human make a noise? Then Silver Claw found out his answer. No. The spinosaurus began to defecate on the body and urinate on the ground, marking the body with an extremely potent stench that would let everything know within a large area that this was its territory and nothing else's.

Silver Claw felt bad for the human, trapped in the cave with that horrid stench filling the cave and nowhere else to go. He mused to himself that he was the lucky one even though he did not have the same protection as the human. The smell about him was much more tolerable. The spinosaurus began to move and he crouched down. It was coming his way. The creature lumbered up the streambed, following the water. Very soon, it passed Silver Claw and disappeared into the jungle.

With a quiet sigh, Silver Claw settled down and watched the area around the cave but also the jungle around him just in case the spinosaurus decided to come back. He quickly noticed that it had darkened significantly. The sky was overcast with heavy, black clouds. Then a wet drop hit Silver Claw on the end of his snout. He looked up in time to see the downpour begin.

The rain pelted the canopy creating the constant _drip-tap-drip-tap-tap_. A ways away, thunder crackled. A shiver went through Silver Claw as the cool water ran down his back. The shrub was little protection against the rain; rain was a fact of life on Isla Sorna. It rained almost daily. However, this was a large storm and not the same as the light drizzle that was the norm. A few minutes passed and he noticed a slight rise in the stream. Thunder crackled again and then the roar of the spinosaurus came seemingly in defiance. Silver Claw relaxed. The spinosaurus was far enough away that it was no longer a threat.

Shaking off the water, Silver Claw stood up and wandered down the embankment. He hugged the edge of the streambed until he reached the area of the cave. He looked around and scented the air for any dangers. There appeared to be none but the rain hampered his ability to smell threats and the darkness hid any animals within the shifting leaves of the foliage. Slowly, Silver Claw stuck his head through the roots and into the entrance of the cave. He sniffed. The smell of the spinosaurus was weak, fortunately, and the scent of the human was strong. It was still close. Perhaps the cave was only small and was more of a chamber.

The squeeze was difficult for Silver Claw. The entrance was soil at the beginning but rock as it deepened. His head entered the cavern. His eyes adjusted quickly and he noticed a small hole in the roof allowing a little light to filter into the cave. It was enough that he could see the human with her knees against her chest and her back against the corner. She shivered slightly. At last he was in the cavern with the human. He looked back out the entrance and saw the stream rose a little more since he had last looked. It was not a worry unless the storm continued to maintain such a heavy downpour.

His attention turned the human. It appeared to not know he was present, which was odd because he had made some noise while entering. The cavern was large enough that he could stand but he had to hold his head down. He slowly made his way over the human. When he reached her, Silver Claw realized that she was asleep. Her eyes were closed and her breathing soft. She shivered.

Very gently, Silver Claw touched his jaw against her skin. It felt cool. He did not want to wake the creature but it felt cold. He also did not want the creature attacking him if it woke up or making any loud noises. The last thing he wanted was to have a predator attracted to the area. He decided to stay away for the time being. He made his way back to the entrance and lay to one side.

Outside, the rain poured. Suddenly, the jungle illuminated and then the thunder came with a loud bang. Silver Claw jumped at the sound. A scream came from the corner. Silver Claw turned to the see the human pressed against the back of the cave. She knew he found her. She dropped to the ground just as quickly as she got up. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she started to sob.

"Why are you following me?" She cried. She moved her hands up and down her arms, warming them up. After a moment she added, "Go away!" Silver Claw did not respond. He did not see the point of trying to communicate when she did not understand him. The human quieted after a while but continued staring at Silver Claw. Over the next hour, the human began to nod off. Her eyes closed and then she was asleep again.

Silver Claw relaxed a little. He was tired as well. But he did not want to sleep, not yet at least. He stood up and quietly moved to the hole in the roof. He pushed his nose into it and widened it enough so that he could see the cloudy sky. It did not appear as if the storm would let up any time soon. And so, he made his way back to the entrance. He curled up and closed his eyes. It would be another uneasy night as the memories of recent days entered his thoughts ….

Disclaimer: Jurassic Park is the property of its respective owners. Characters not from Jurassic Park and/or other properties are mine and are not to be used without written permission.


	3. An Uneasy Friendship

_Jurassic Park Broken Lives_

Chapter Three: An Uneasy Friendship

**The morning light** bathed Isla Sorna in elegant golden hues. Drifting slowly upon a gentle breeze, wispy clouds speckled the sky as the only remnants of the storm from the night before. The soft gurgling of the swollen stream filled the air with sound and the scent of decay grew steadily more intense as the heat of the day grew. Silver Claw blinked as he looked through the hole in the roof. The water rose during the night and entered the cave, forcing him to move several times. It was the first of a few surprises Silver Claw woke up to during the night.

In the darkness, Silver Claw heard the spinosaurus off in the distance. It had made several calls during the night. At times he thought that there were two of them but he could not be sure. He only knew of the one on the island. Also he heard a large creature moving around the area of the cave but it never came into view, even when he stuck his head out of the cave, checking the area by sight and scent. And then to top it, he woke to a familiar chirping, compsognathus. Through the hole he saw one dart past, then another, and then dozens. He knew exactly what they wanted, the carcass.

He made his way to the entrance as quietly as he could, though he could not help the sloshing as his feet dragged through the water. Silver Claw entered the rocky entrance and peered through the tangle of roots, each wet and dripping, seeing the swarming green masses that covered the carcass and the black mass of insects hovering above. Many of the compsognathus fought amongst each other for the choice pieces of flesh yet to rot. For such a small creature, Silver Claw mused, they seemed undeterred by the scent the spinosaurus left, so strong that it did not wash way entirely. As he watched, his instincts grew, tempting him to go and attack the compsognathus, claiming the kill as his own and feasting on the flesh to fill an empty stomach. And yet other instincts told him that something was wrong. An uneasy feeling lingered in his mind. Then suddenly, an opportunity presented itself, an opportunity irresistible to a hungry predator.

A lone compsognathus leapt down from the slope above. It stopped just long enough that Silver Claw's instincts forced him on the attack. His jaws snapped down on the unsuspecting animal, breaking its soft bones but not killing it outright. The small creature gave a terrible squeal of surprise and pain. It snapped back at its attacker but with no effect. Silver Claw squeezed harder and then shook his head side to side, breaking the delicate neck and ending the creature's life. He quickly withdrew into the darkness of the cave as the compsognathus on the carcass retreated onto the opposite bank. They turned and jumped up and down, chirping in anger and distrust of the area.

Silver Claw quickly realized the mistake in not killing the compsognathus outright. A short distance away, a loud roar replied to the death screams of the prey. Very quickly, the rumble of footsteps shook loose some of the cave. The girl, who was asleep, woke up screaming, alerting the beast inbound that there was something to find. Silver Claw saw a shadow descend upon the entrance, and soon the viewing hole. The creature was very near; he heard its heavy breathing. He seemingly held his breath, anticipating that any moment the human and he would be discovered and attacked. At least the human had enough intelligence, he thought, to quiet just before the creature reached the streambed.

A splash came from outside. He lowered his head slowly to see a gigantic foot outside the entrance. It was a carnotaurus and it was not alone. Sickly cracks filled the air as the second carnotaurus moved into the streambed. It was younger from what Silver Claw could see, only a juvenile. It began to eat the flesh of it own kind, and Silver Claw quickly realized that it was the parent to the small one. The carnotaurus was eating its own parent. The though sickened him. He could not understand how one could eat ones own kind.

The human coughed! Silver Claw turned his head to see the human covering her mouth, however vomit leaked though her fingers and dripped onto her cloths. A low growl came from outside. Then suddenly the cave entrance shattered. Silver Claw leapt back in time to dodge the angry parent as it forced its head into the cave. It pulled out as suddenly as it had entered but then the roof of the cave collapsed partially as the stout head broke though. As the dust cleared, large cables like and yet unlike those that surround the building came free of the soil, creating a barrier between the angry carnotaurus and Silver Claw and the human. The carnotaurus did not seem to care and tried to force its way past only to tangle. It tried pulling but was stuck.

Silver Claw backed away as the struggling animal threatened to collapse the rest of the cave as it tried to free itself. Then the juvenile joined in, attacking the cables, tearing them from the wall. A section of the cave crumbled as the cables broke from their moorings. The human beat Silver Claw to this new area of the cave and disappeared into the darkness. Silver Claw joined her as fast as he could. Moments after, the cave collapsed sealing them in.

The darkness was absolute. Silver Claw could not see, even with his greater sight in the dark. There was simply no light. His other senses raced to orientate him. He noticed that he was not on normal rock, it was more like the building but he knew that that was far enough away that he could not be in it. Next to come to his attention was the air. Old, musty, stale, and moldy could not have described it better. The only new scent to the area was the human. He heard her cough a short distance away and then what he could only think to be vomiting. He turned slightly only to bump into the walls, they were slimy and damp and left an unpleasant feel on his scales.

He moved down the tunnel until he was only what he thought to be a meter from the human. His presence did not go unnoticed however. She began to cry, "Why are you doing this?" She cried for a moment and then added, "I just want to go home!" Silver Claw did not respond. He knew she would not understand him. And so, he lay next to her and simply stared into the darkness. Her crying continued for a few minutes more until she spoke, "Why don't you just kill me already!"

Silver Claw felt uneasiness with her. What sort of creature wanted to die? Even the overwhelmed prey his pack hunted never gave up and accepted death. What would cause her to want such a thing? He began to think back to the previous days. He wanted to die or rather he did. What had happened to the human to cause such a feeling? It could be no worse than his. He lost everything. And by the sounds of it, she still had a home to go to, where ever _it_ was.

He soon realized he did not know why she was still alive. If it had been any other creature in that building, he would have killed it. But why had he allowed her to live. She was no use to him other than food, or at least nothing he could think of at the moment. After everything her kind had put his family though, why should he not kill her? For all he knew, she could be one of the human who imprisoned his family. But … his pack said that they had all left for another land, a land they had come from. He could not be sure that she was one of them. But even if she was not, did it matter?

Silver Claw winced as his stomach pained him a little. He realized that he had lost the compsognathus in the attack without realizing it. What if there was no way out? He was not about to starve to death, at least not while he could help it. There had to be food somewhere down here. His thoughts drifted to the human. He wondered how they tasted. His pack had never said anything about eating them. He shook his head, no! Something just did not seem right about eating a human, something was too familiar to him about them and yet he could not put his mind on it. He decided not to eat the human unless there was no other choice. He would have a few days at least until he really had to decide. Though he really hoped it would not come down to that.

He did not want to scare her but he decided they had to get moving and so gently reached over and nudged her. She pushed him away saying, "Go away!" Silver Claw nudged her again. "Get away from me you dumb animal!" He pressed her again and this time received a hard slap. He snarled at her but did not attack. He wanted to but he held back. After a moment, she seemed to calm down again so he pushed on her shoulder this time. She finally seemed to get the message and stood up. Her crying quieted a little and she began to walk down the tunnel, her hand feeling the sides for direction, or so he thought by the sound of something scraping the sides.

The air reeked of mold and fungi, both of which Silver Claw had a distaste because they made him feel unclean even when it was not in contact with his body. In front of him, he heard the girl trip but she got up right away. She made a soft sob, brushed herself off, and continued moving. However the brief stop made Silver Claw notice another sound, on in the distance. It was running water. Perhaps a way out was in the direction. Although with amount of rain the island had received, it could be a stream of even the tunnel flooding. He hoped for the way out.

Minutes passed and the human even seemed to pick up on the sound. She quickened her pace. Then a short distance away, their seemed to be light. Silver Claw's heart quickened. This had to be the way out, he thought. The human now started into a jog towards the light. Silver Claw quickly followed suit. Soon, the source of the light revealed itself. It was a hole in the roof. Silver Claw stopped and looked at it with distress. It was not big enough for either of them. However the human kept going and then suddenly fell. She screamed.

The tunnel filled with the sound of rushing water. Silver Claw's heart raced as he lost sight of the human. In her place, a large hole where the ground collapsed. And then, a hand reached out of the darkness. Silver Claw rushed close to the hole but not too close incase the area was unstable. He looked over the edge and saw the human holding desperately to roots and metal rods. Below her, a rushing torrent of water, where it went was unknown but it would not take one there in one piece. She screamed again, trying desperately to pull herself up but she snapped a root with her foot. She slipped farther down the hole.

Silver Claw did not know what to do. What could he do? Then his gaze met hers and he knew he had to help. He saw the fear in her eyes and felt dawn too her. Silver Claw lay on the floor and reached into the hole. She managed to get high enough that he could get a hold of her. Silver Claw grabbed hold of her by her waist and hoisted her out of the hole with one swift motion. As she fell onto the other side of the hole, he heard a tear and a snap. His heart jumped. Had he hurt her? No.

Slowly, the human crawled away from the hole and sat against the wall. She started to sob as she held one of her legs. Silver Claw knew what had happened. She was bleeding, he smelled it. His instincts tried to drive him to an attack but he suppressed them. Instead, he leapt across the hole and then walked to her side. He nudged her reassuringly but expected to be hit again. He was not.

"Th-th-thank you," she managed to say though her sobs. "I, uh, I thought I was going to die." She took one shaky hand off her wound and reached for him. He did not move. She touched his snout and said, "Good, what ever you are." She retracted her hand and covered her wound again.

Silver Claw did not know what to think. He felt oddly relieved at the fact she was thankful but yet unsure as he breathed in the scent of blood she had unknowingly smeared upon his snout. He did not see the wound but he knew even small ones could cause death on the island. It would come sooner rather than later if they stayed in the tunnels. He looked around realizing he could see partially. The light from the hole had dimmed drastically. He stepped past the human and approached the hole.

A deep breath of fresh air, lightened Silver Claw's worried thoughts. He peered out into the light. It was early morning still, though he felt like it should be later than that. A large white cloud blocked the sun from view but it would soon pass, there was a breeze rustling the leaves of the trees and pushing the clouds on their way. He wished he could feel the breeze. The usual scents entered his nostrils as he took another breath. There were some herbivores near by, but where exactly he could not be sure. He smelled decay and realized they were somewhere near to his nest. They had to be, or it was the carcass. He doubted that though. He felt they traveled enough so that the carcass would not be so great of a smell. He reassured himself of their position.

He took one last breath of the fresh air and started down the tunnel away from the hole. After he was a few meters away, Silver Claw looked back to see the human limping towards him, though not quickly enough to get close to him. Still, she seemed to be apprehensive about getting too close to him even though he saved her. Silver Claw continued on his way. The tunnel darkened again and the sound of the water faded. Then slowly, he realized he was passing different passages, each spreading into different directions, some had small traces of light but he realized that they were cave-ins. He would not be able to dig through the rubble.

Three hour passed as Silver Claw slowly navigated the tunnels. Entering what he found to be dead ends and backtracking to the main tunnel. He periodically stopped and checked for the human to make sure she had not fallen behind. Even though she was injured, she managed to keep pace with him. Eventually, the whole idea of escaping the darkness began to wear on him and he finally had to stop. A cool draft wisped by him. He looked around, partially confused and wondering if he had imagined it. Before him, Silver Claw realized that there was a wall; it was the end of the main tunnel. He turned down the tunnel where the air came from and stopped. He sniffed the air; there was something else in the tunnels. Silver Claw sniffed the floor and realized that compsognathus had passed by the area recently. Perhaps in search of them, drawn to the sound of the human falling, or perhaps lost like they were, Silver Claw thought.

Suddenly something contacted Silver Claw's side and he turned his head to bite it. There was a gasp before he could. It was the human and he relaxed. Silver Claw turned his head back down the tunnel and sniffed again. A wisp of air touched him again. There had to be a way out. Just as he began to move, the echo of a compsognathus chirp reached them from the opposite direction. More chirps followed. Silver Claw knew they had been discovered.

The human brushed by him and down the tunnel. She was putting as much distance between her and the creatures as she could. She knew what approached; he knew what approached. A chirping, green swarm of compsognathus attracted to the scent of possible prey or even the gasp. Silver Claw followed behind her as quietly as he could.

It was an eerie feeling to Silver Claw, hunted in the absolute darkness with no way out. He wondered if it was the same feeling that his prey felt when he hunted them. Maybe or maybe not, he could not know. He did not feel like this when the spinosaurus chased him several times but then again, his mind was on other things. His heart sank as he thought of Sophia. What would it be like if they had found the human? Would it still be alive? Probably, Silver Claw though. Sophia had as much curiosity about new things as he did, sometimes more. They may have kept the human a secret from the Elders for a time, just so they could figure out what it was and what they should do with it. Silver Claw exhaled softly.

A short distance behind them, Silver Claw picked up the patter of the compsognathus. They were quickly catching up. He raised his head and looked past the human. There was light ahead! Then just as suddenly, he realized that it was on the ground. It was some sort of small entrance the compsognathus used to get in and out of the tunnels. Far too small for he or the human to fit through, if there was no other way, they would be trapped. Silver Claw knew he could not prevent himself from getting bit if there were enough compsognathus. It would be only a matter of time before he fell.

In moments they were at the small entrance. It appeared to be a dead end until Silver Claw saw the faint light filtering in around the edges of what he realized to be a door. It could be an entrance to the building he thought where the bottom corner rusted away providing an access. He looked back and saw shapes in the darkness. He quickly pushed against the door. It did not budge. He stepped back then lunged, it still did not budge. Silver Claw turned around and saw the tunnel, wall to wall, with the excited little creatures. They bounced up and down, chattering.

Silver Claw raised his feathers and his claws. He let out a low growl then a sharp bark. The creatures backed slightly, weary of an attack but soon were bouncing again and chattering. Each waited for the first to get the courage to attack, and then they would swarm with painful bites. Silver Claw dared not back away. It would only encourage them. It did not matter as the first attacked.

In moments, Silver Claw was besieged by the little green beasts, each biting at his scales, seeking the soft point where they could get their venom into him. The compsognathus chewed their toxin into his flesh. He snapped and caught one, then two, and then a third. Each died quickly but he could not stem the tide. He dropped the ground to get the ones attacking his underside but it only allowed them to get onto his back where he could not reach. Silver Claw leapt to his feet and slammed against the wall, killing one and injuring two more.

Behind him, the human screamed. Silver Claw forced himself to turn and see what happened. They had cornered the girl against the door but did not attack. She pressed against the door and the first leapt at her. She kicked it and sent it howling away. The other remained caution and bounced excitedly. Then her fingers found the doorknob. She quickly grabbed and turned the handle. The door squealed on rusty hinges but finally opened. The compsognathus now swarmed Silver Claw and the human, desperate to stop them from escaping but were not quick enough.

The human almost shut the door on Silver Claw before he could react. Already, the venom was slowing him. He staggered into the room, almost helpless to the attack. He managed to get in and the human slammed the door behind him. Compsognathus tried to fit though the hole in the door but the human kicked them and they retreated. On the other side of the door, the creatures chirped and squeaked. The human slid something in front of the opening and trapped them inside, at very least for the time being.

The compsognathus that remained leapt off of Silver Claw and scurried through a hole in the wall of the room. The human quickly grabbed something and blocked it too. They were safe. Silver Claw collapsed to the floor. He wheezed. The venom was overwhelming. He could not longer keep his eyes open. Darkness consumed him and then … nothing.

**Several hours later**, Silver Claw stirred. He took in a deep breath and exhaled loudly. His body ached from the bites but he did not open his eyes. There was an odd calm about everything. He felt peaceful, sort of; his mind remained groggy and he did not want to move. He breathed in and out again. He did not want to feel anything but this calm.

A minute passed and he finally felt the feeling wear off, leaving only the sores and aches. Slowly, very slowly, he opened his eyes. It was darker than he remembered. The light filtered in though grimy windows above him. He turned his attention to the room around him. It was bare for the most part. Several objects lay on shelves and on the ground. In the corner lay the human. She was still with him!

Silver Claw's head immediately rose and he stared at her. Her eyes were closed and she seemed almost peaceful. He wondered if she was dead but she stirred slightly. She was only asleep. Silver Claw felt relieved and began to check his body. Various areas on him were blood and grime encrusted. He began to clean himself, licking the reachable wounds. He hoped they would not get infected but that was likely with the amount of bites. After a few minutes, he finished up and stood, stretching his stiff limbs.

He stretched his neck up and looked out the window. From the little he could see he did not know where they were but it was not the building. The tunnel had gone in so many directions that he did not know where the hole was from where they were. He had no idea of where the nest, or for that matter, where the building could be. Slowly, he settled to the floor and looked back at the door. The compsognathus were gone. Silver Claw felt some relief but knew they might return. There had to be another exit, maybe they could fit out of the holes in the collapsed sections of tunnel.

The human mumbled something. Silver Claw looked at her as she rolled to one side and suddenly leapt up reaching for her back. She quickly turned around and picked up an edged rock. She tossed it against the metal wall before she realized the Silver Claw was awake. A loud bang rang out and then the room fell silent and remained so for a while. Silver Claw stared at the human who returned his gaze.

In the silent calm, he took a good long look at the human. She looked like the broad description that the Elders gave of human females. But now, he noticed the more personal details. Long brown-red hair hung down to her shoulders. Each strand danced delicately with every movement she made even though it was unkempt and speckled with dirt. Her eyes were deep blue with a hint of green. The white of her eyes held a red tint from some irritation. Her face bore small scratches but otherwise remained relatively soft and smooth in complexion. Silver Claw slowly drifted down her body, examining her closely. Covering her torso was the strange material, described to him as clothing by the Elders. The shirt was faded green in color and bore strange markings across the upper right corner. It was buttoned from the neck to the waist with short sleeves and appeared tight across the chest but hung loose around the abdomen. A few tears marked the shirt but it was relatively unscathed despite the previous days. Starting from her waist, the shorts tan and dirty stretched down to the top of her skinned knees. Further along, her bare legs bore numerous scratches from her fall including the single long one, now scabbed by dry blood. Finally her feet hid behind faint blue and dirty white shoes caked in mud and dried fungi.

Silver Claw opened his mouth wide and yawned. He stretched his arms out in front of him and then stood up to get a look outside again. Nothing had changed, but now he noticed the large amount of moss on the trees. Vine dropped from high branches and nearly touched the ground. He felt he recognized the area but did not know why. Then he realized where they were, but it could not be. They walked too far and in the wrong direction for that. But then again, he could have been disorientated by the tunnels and taken another tunnel in a direction different than he originally thought. He must have.

Silver Claw scanned the jungle closely and when he was sure of their position, north of the building but between it and the nest. He decided to leave before nightfall. He knew that if there were a way out, the compsognathus would be back if not by night, then in the morning. They could be in the trees even, Silver Claw felt disheartened thinking that he may be ambushed by them as soon as he left the building, but it was a risk he had to take.

The doorknob was more obvious to him and he slid his long fingers over the round knob. He turned it but nothing happened. He tried pushing the metal door with his snout but still nothing happened. He pulled on it a little but still nothing. Then with a forceful shove, he hit the door, nothing. Silver Claw looked around for another exit, the only way out was the tunnel and he was not about to go back in. Defeated, he lay back down and rested his head on the cold rough floor.

Movement caught his eye, the human stood up, seemingly nervous about something which made Silver Claw uneasy. He lifted his head and looked around but did not see anything. There was nothing out of the ordinary. When he looked back at the human, she held a large, long-handled hammer in her hands. It was on a shelf at the back of the room. Silver Claw cocked his head. It was a weapon but why did she have it. He felt a little uneasy as she walked towards him. She lifted the hammer with both hands and looked as if she were going to swing it at him. His feathers rose and soon did his claws. She swung.

Silver Claw's ears filled with a terrible ringing. He shook his head to get rid of it. Then he heard the bang. He looked up to see the door missing, having fallen to the ground. The old hinges broke under the force. The human looked uneasy at him; she noticed his readiness to attack.

"There … you can go now." The human said softly. She gripped the hammer a little more loosely as Silver Claw settled down. She mumbled something that she thought was inaudible. "I can believe I'm talking to some dumb animal like it's a person."

Silver Claw stood up. He noticed her grasp tighten. It would be easy to just leave her now, but he did not want to. He wanted her to come with him but did not know how to go about it. First things first, Silver Claw thought and walked outside the small metal shed. He looked back at it. The human stood in the doorway. It was growing dark inside the room. Around the shed, a small outcrop sheltered it from some of the weather which is why, he thought, it was not as deteriorated as some of the other things he saw of human design. To one side, he noticed in the soft earth the tracks of the compsognathus but lost them in the short grasses. He would travel in the other direction.

Finally, Silver Claw decided that since he could not communicate with the human, he would just follow her to see where she went. He could easily follow her out of sight, though he suspected she would likely look for the building. Though she would be more lost than he was. Silver Claw started for the direction of his nesting area. He would check their first for any chance of a survivor then pick up her trail before night if there were none. He was nearly into a thicket of trees when he heard the human moving. He looked back. She was following him although be it at a distance and with the hammer as a brace on her injured side. She limped slightly.

Silver Claw could only guess that she thought he was going for the building and that it would be safer to follow him. He decided to check the nest anyway. Though he wondered how she would react to the nest seeing how she did not do so well with the carcass of the carnotaurus. He shrugged it off. If there were no predators nearby, it was no concern of his anymore. If there were, she would not escape in a chase.

The walk was silent except for the noisy footsteps of the human. Silver Claw wondered how such a creature could survive in the jungle. She was not much of a runner and she had no defenses. He wondered how the humans captured and imprisoned the Elders. It seemed like luck rather than any kind of skill.

As the minutes passed, the air grew heavy with decay and soon he heard the constant buzzing of swarms of insects. He heard no other creatures but cautiously approached the ring of thick undergrowth surrounding the nest. Quietly he peered though. The sickly sweet stench filled his nostrils. It made him sick but he did not withdraw. Instead, he entered the glade. He slipped quietly between the carcasses, not daring to look long upon each. He did not want have any detailed memories of the horror that was done upon his pack. He wanted his final memories of them to be as they were and not to put names to the disemboweled bodies.

When he reached the center of the nests, Silver Claw lifted his head high and let out several loud calls. If there were any pack members still alive, they would hear him and answer. He waited, hoping. But no answer came. After another minute, he realized fully that none would ever come. He was alone, the last of his family, the last of his pack. There was no place for him now. He was to wander the island until he died, likely soon if he was no careful of the world around him. Silver Claw shifted slightly and heard a crack beneath his feet. The oozing fluid between his toes gave him a good idea of what it was. He stepped on an egg shell. Eyes ahead, he dared not looked down to see if the pale hatchling lay exposed near him.

"This was your home," the human said from behind him. He did not think she would enter the glade but he guessed curiosity got the better of her. "Oh, what's the point? You can't even understand me can you?" Silver Claw looked back at her with his feathers flat and head lowered. "Can you?" She sounded a little confused but he could not think of a way to make her understand. "Oh what the heck, nod you head if you can understand me." Silver Claw nodded his head. Why had he not thought of that? Then again, if he had done it before, she might only thing that he was being a dumb animal as she though he was.

The human nearly fell over backwards. Her face froze in an expression of complete shock and she remained still. A quizzical and skeptical look slowly dawned on her as she seemed to be in some sort of deep contemplation. Then at last she spoke again, "Can you really understand me?" Silver Claw nodded. "Really, are you sure?" Silver Claw nodded again. He felt a little degraded but at least he was talking to her. "Shake your head for no. Are you staying here long?" Silver Claw paused for a moment as he thought about how long he might linger. "I knew it, just another dumb animal." Silver Claw quickly shook his head, a little angered. "Are you staying here?" Silver Claw shook his head again. He was becoming quiet annoyed by the human and almost wished they were not speaking at all. But before she could respond, a roar responded to Silver Claw's call. It was not the one he was looking for.

The human screamed but quickly covered her mouth, dropping the hammer as she realized it would only attract the spinosaurus. Silver Claw looked for a safe place. He knew where to hide. There was a bush at the edge of the glade that gave off a particularly strong smell, though he doubted that the spinosaurus would be able to smell him over such decay anyway. He quickly moved to and dove into it. Thorns poked his body but he settled in and stared out. The human came running to the bush. She could not see him as she raced to hide. In the rush, she almost hit Silver Claw and made a lot of noise as she tried to get comfortable as thorns cut her body. A low booming sound silenced her and she froze in place.

A few seconds passed and the spinosaurus emerged from the jungle. Its behemoth form towered over the nests and it cast a long dark shadow behind it. Its body rippled with muscles easily seen beneath the dark blue hide. Its long crocodilian snout lowered to the ground and sniffed. Each breath was heavy and loud. It took a few steps forward and sniffed the ground again. Its muscular tongue came out and touched something on the ground. Like a snake, it curled and picked something up. It was the hammer! The human had left it behind. Now the spinosaurus would know something was around, the scent was strong on it. It dropped the hammer and reared back. It gave a loud roar.

The human quickly covered her ears but Silver Claw could not. The sound was painful but he remained unmoved. The spinosaurus looked around for it quarry but when it found nothing changed it moved off into the jungle. After a few minutes, Silver Claw felt a little more at ease. He did not move but he relaxed a little. After another minute, a reassuring sound called from afar. The spinosaurus had moved on. The human seemed to relax too.

"Are you going now?" the human said softly. Silver Claw looked at her and nodded. He then stood up and walked into the glade for a moment. Taking one last look around, he felt that he would not return. Silver Claw turned and walked in the direction of the building. He knew where it was from the nests.

As Silver Claw entered the jungle, he heard the human speak. "Hey wait up!" She crossed the glade but stopped a few meters from him. He looked at her. "Where are you going?" She paused for a moment then said, "Are you going to the building?" Silver Claw nodded. An uneasy expression settled over her. Silver Claw exhaled softly and turned towards the building.

Behind him, the human followed quietly but in deep contemplation seemingly. Slowly, Silver Claw began to wonder if she would stay behind him or try and go off on her own. About halfway, she spoke softly, "That … that was you family, wasn't it?" Silver Claw looked back at her. Her expression had softened significantly and appeared almost depressed. He nodded slowly and then returned his gaze to the path ahead. "You were calling to see if any of them were still alive, weren't you?" When she saw the nod, she continued, "It was that thing with the giant fin … thing on its back?" She received the same answer. "I don't think you'll care or anything but my family is dead too, killed by that _beast_!" She almost started crying.

Pity filled Silver Claw. He now knew why she was upset. She had lost the same as he. Thoughts drifted into his mind. Maybe, he somehow knew that she was like him and that is why he kept her alive. No, that was not it. He quickly brushed the thoughts aside but the real answer eluded him. He could not explain why she was alive, why he contained his instincts, and why he saved her. So many questions that he felt he may never know the answer. The human broke his train of thought.

"I don't you it matters," she said softly, "but my name is Amanda." He looked back at her with some confusion. He did not know that humans had names. Then he realized, he should have known. If they could talk to each other, they should have names, or maybe not. He shook his head and focused on the path ahead. "Amanda," he said in his low growling speech. At least it sounded better than human.

Within a half hour, they reached the building. He walked by the tree where he first saw the human and where a large footprint lay imbedded in the ground. The sun had set and the stars twinkled in the sky above. The island bathed in the light of the moon but it remained unseen behind the trees. As Silver Claw approached the gate, he felt a slight chill as a breeze wisped past him. An unease settled on him as if they were being watched, he would feel better once they were in the compound and the gate shut.

The gate creaked loudly as Silver Claw pushed his way in, it had shifted since they had left and for a moment, he thought he smell something familiar but shrugged it off as nothing of importance. The human entered behind him and slowly shut the gate. She slid a bar and locked it. Silver Claw could sense the unease she felt, locking herself in an unfamiliar place with a creature she had no trust for. But soon, she walked past him, up the steps and into the lobby. Silver Claw followed.

The human stood looking at the different halls. Silver Claw paused behind her. Instead of going down a hall, the human walked over to a large rectangular machine with a grimy glass front. She halfheartedly pushed on some of the buttons to the right side but nothing happened. She sighed, "I can't even tell if there's food in here." She mumbled something inaudible to herself as her stomach growled. With a second louder sigh, she started down a hall. "I can't believe I dropped that damn hammer."

Silver Claw cocked his head and walked up to the machine. He sniffed it and smelled nothing but mold. He noticed a thin crack on the glass. For a moment, he paused, thinking. With a step pack, he lunged at the machine, breaking the glass and nearly cutting himself in the process.

"What the …," Amanda turned around. She looked at Silver Claw as he righted himself. Then looking around him, she looked into the machine. Although it was dark and the building was almost without light, the glint of wrappers shone as if having a light of their own. Silver Claw stepped back as the human walked over to and reached into the machine. She pulled out a five things and shoved all but two into a pocket. She then moved to a dirty bench and sat down.

With a slight wonder, Silver Claw watched as the human pulled back the covering of a bar and put the contents to her mouth. She took a bite and began to chew. The smell reached Silver Claw and he walked over to her, placing his nose as close as he could to the food without making her pull away. She eyed him suspiciously but took another bite.

"Let me guess," she said with a full mouth, "you want some?" Silver Claw looked at her and was about to nod when she broke a small piece off and tossed it away from her. Silver Claw followed the piece and sniffed it where it landed. Cautiously, as he would do with most new foods, he reached out his long muscular tongue and gently curled it around the piece. He took it into his mouth and chewed slightly, it became wedged in his teeth and he fought to free it with his tongue. At least it tasted good, he thought, sweet but chewy and thick. Then just as he freed it and tossed his head back to swallow, another piece landed next to him, this one larger that the previous and from the other bar.

Amanda watched him as he reached down and picked up the next piece. He had much more trouble as it stuck between more than just one tooth, especially after it broke into multiple pieces, and after he managed to swallow it, it almost caught in his throat. Silver Claw looked at the human, hoping she would toss him some more but she merely showed him her bare palms and stood up. She disappeared down the closest hall.

As Silver Claw went to follow her, he shuddered at the hallway. It felt too much like the tunnel for his liking but at least he could see. Glass pyramids on the roof allowed light into the building and helped make it less enclosed. But, it unnerved him nonetheless. He walked silently down the hall behind the human. She glanced back occasionally to check if he was still following her. At last, they ended up at the destination, a room very different from the one he first gave chase.

Amanda opened the door and walked in. Silver Claw followed. The room was furnished with a number of large items. A long couch rested against the left wall with a grubby picture hanging above it, fungi and mold gripped to its surface. Two small tables sat at either end. Against the far wall, a desk, obviously moved out of place, sat below a dirty window. On the desk lay several stacks of papers and a few utensils. The right wall held pictures and door leading into another room. As Silver Claw entered further, he noticed two more couches behind the door with glass on the cushions from the picture frames that fell.

Amanda walked over to the door leading into the next room and opened it. She stopped and looked back at Silver Claw. "I'm sleeping in this room." She hesitated before adding, "I'm also locking the door so don't try and get in. Sleep wherever you like. Goodnight." She disappeared into the room and Silver Claw heard the click.

Silver Claw did not know what to think of what the human was doing. He merely cocked his head and walked to the lone couch against the wall and hopped onto it. He had seen them before when he and Sophia poked their heads into the lobby, even hopping on one but he fell through it. He did not notice it on the way in which he felt was strange but shook off the thought. This one was in better condition and seemed to be cleaner than the others, though not by much. He settled down on it and laid his head on the armrest. Through the window he could make out the moon. Goodnight, he thought. He hoped so.

Disclaimer: Jurassic Park is the property of its respective owners. Characters not from Jurassic Park and/or other properties are mine and are not to be used without written permission.


	4. Amanda

_Jurassic Park Broken Lives_

Chapter Four: Amanda

**Amanda locked the** door and listened carefully. The animal following her moved in the room and jumped on one of the couches. The couch creaked slightly. She let out a sigh and turned around. The room was better furnished that the other one. Mostly because she had taken some time to move things into it, though only small things she could carry.

A pile of wood and cloth lay in the corner to her right, junk she thought she could use to build a fire if she needed to. Although she felt the only reason she would was if there was a plane looking for her. It was too hot most of the time to need a fire for warmth. Against the wall to her right and a short distance from the junk pile was a hide-a-bed pulled out into a bed. Since it was folded when she found it, she did not need to clean it as much. It was not ruined like most of the things where water leaked through the roof. In the middle of the room was a desk with a lamp and cans of food. She salvaged what she could from the kitchen but could not find a way to open them yet. She was chased out of the kitchen by a creature of some sorts. It was not too different from the little green monster that attacked her in the tunnel. At least it was alone. Two large windows lit the room faintly. She had not cleaned them since they faced the powerless electric fence. She feared above all else, something coming through the window while she slept. These fears however were not enough that she moved the second desk from beneath the window, mainly in case she needed a quick way out of the building.

Her stomach growled and covered her mouth as vomit spewed into her mouth. She ran to the nearest garbage bin and gagged on the little she had to expel. When she was done, she coughed twice and wiped her mouth with her hand. She rested her head on the rim and looked down, almost in tears with the sour taste in her mouth. She had thrown up the only food she had eaten in over a day. As she thought, most of the food in the building had gone bad a long time ago. Though, the bar did not look like it had gone bad, far from. She spit into the garbage and wiped her mouth again.

Amanda wandered over to her bed and sat on the corner. It was nice to feel the mattress beneath her again. She thought she would never know another peaceful sleep, or at least as peaceful as she could get on this God Damned Island! She grabbed her head and pulled slightly. She was stressed out. No food, no water, no privacy, and no clean places, what could make this place any worse? She was used to the rich life style, not poorer than dirt and alone. Home, her home! That was the only place for her.

Sliding to the middle of the hide-a-bed, thoughts clawed at her mind. The previous days played menacingly, torturing and unrelenting. A shiver snaked down from head to toe. It was an unpleasant feeling, one not worth remembering, not while she could help it. Grabbing a jacket from beside her bed and folding it into a pillow, she laid her head upon it. It was too hot to use on of the others as a blanket. It was always too hot.

After a while, Amanda drifted into an uneasy sleep full of nightmares and memories.

"_**Amanda darling," a** feminine voice called out. It was soft and soothing like a gentle breeze to her ears from within the drone of voices. Amanda looked at her mother from within a crowd of people gathered to celebrate her for her eighteenth birthday in two days. Quickly, she talked her way out of the conversations happening around her and made her way to her mother standing near the end of the dock._

"_Yes mother?" Amanda said, somewhat relieved that her mother had called her away from the group but yet curious as to what she wanted._

"_I thought you might like to see this," her mother replied softly and pointed out over the Golfo de Nicoya. Between the docks and the opposite shore where estuaries emptied into the bay, dolphins surfaced and disappeared into the depths before surfacing again. It was a pod of them, ten at least._

_Amanda could not help but smile as she watched the majestic animals swimming. It was going to be a good trip, she thought to herself. Puntarenas was the perfect place for her birthday party to set off from and head out to sea in the rented yacht. They would head south out into the Pacific Ocean. Her father would fish, and so would many others of the group. She and her friends would likely spend the days tanning on deck and chatting. They would be out of sight of land for a few days but Amanda did not mind. She would miss seeing the mountains north of Puntarenas. They were beautiful come sunset. The only troubling thing she thought of was the name of the islands they were going to see, 'Las Cinco Muertes,' known in English as the Five Deaths. She did not have a problem until someone translated it for her. It was even worse when they proceeded to tell the story behind the name. For some reason, she felt chills thinking about it._

_But nonetheless, she would enjoy lying on a white sand beach beneath the jungle trees. A pop brought her mind back to the docks and she turned around to see someone had set off a firecracker. She laughed._

**Amanda stirred as** something moved outside the building, seemingly not far from her window. Whatever it was, it was large. She gasped and sat up as loud call reverberated though the air and her mind. She did not recognize it. Whatever it was, she had yet to see it. A shadow passed in front of the window, a waking nightmare coming true. It passed as soon as it came bringing much relief. The sound came again but this time louder. Another replied to it.

Shakes rattled Amanda's body. There was more than one. She used the jacket to cover herself as if to hide. She did not want to be seen if they could see her. But through the dirty window, she hoped they could not. A shadow came and went. It was larger than the first. Briefly, she wondered what the creature in the room next to her would do but that passed when she did not hear any noise. Though, the thought lingered and she began to wonder. Why was it not making noise? Questions poured into her mind. She tried her best to suppress them but could not and they translated into physical shaking that she could not control.

Then silence, the whole world quieted. A minute passed. Still nothing, not one sound that made her wary. Had the creatures passed or were they waiting for prey? Amanda's nerves settled a little but she still kept the nagging feeling that at any moment a beast from her nightmares would burst through the wall and swallow her. And yet, the world remained calm. She wanted to lie back down but her curiosity got the better of her and she quietly slipped out of the bed and made her way to the window.

Amanda exhaled with frustration as she reached the window and could not see a thing outside. She had to know. And so, she clambered onto the desk. The wood creaked and groaned under her light weight. The years were not kind to the old wood frame. Amanda reached for and pulled on a rusty lever that opened the top portion above the main window. It creaked and opened slowly. As she peered out into the unforgiving jungle, Amanda felt a sense of calm about her as there appeared to be nothing out there. Then she noticed movement in the trees. She gasped as two large bipedal creatures stepped into view. Each stood tall enough that appeared to be a dwarf next to them. And yet for their size, they moved quietly with hardly a sound. Much different from what she heard only minutes ago. She caught a glimpse of their mouths and saw leaves. They were herbivores.

A great sigh of relief escaped her parched throat. Her heart rate slowed and she felt the tension in her neck and shoulders dissipate. As the wind shifted, her demeanor further softened as her hair tossed gently. Suddenly, the two creatures became irritated at something. They froze. And then, one bolted down the length of the fence followed by the second. As they entered the jungle, they made the strangest honking sound Amanda ever heard. She became nervous and began to close the window when she spotted something in the shadows. It was a shape in the darkness with two glowing eyes. It was not looking right at her but she felt that it knew of her presence. In a swift flash of white, it disappeared into the night.

Amanda quickly closed the window and took a step back but it was too much too soon. The desk cracked beneath her feet. She plummeted to the floor and hit it hard. Stars swirled overhead and then darkness crept over her…

_**The party was** in full swing as Amanda circulated around the boat. She smiled politely at each of the guests who wished her a happy birthday. It was a great party. Her father spared no expense. Everything she wanted was on the boat, except one. Her grandmother had passed two weeks previous at the youthful age of ninety-seven. It was not a proper party without her. Amanda sighed._

"_Ah, there you are!" Amanda looked up to see her uncle Wallace. She wheezed as he bear-hugged her and clasped her heartily on the shoulder. "There's the special girl!" He eyed her suspiciously then in a lower voice said, "What the matter dear?"_

"_Grandmother isn't here to celebrate with us." Amanda sighed and looked at the deck of the yacht._

_Wallace placed one hand on her shoulder. "I know. She was the life of a party." He paused as he pondered what to say next. Then finally he spoke, "She would have wanted you to be happy. You're only eighteen once in your life. Enjoy it while it lasts." He hugged her again and wandered off into the crowd._

_Amanda brushed away a tear and wandered to the back of the boat. The sun was almost set and the boat lit with hanging lanterns. Guests mixed behind her, many drinking alcohol from the open bar. It was not for her but rather everyone else who was in attendance. Her attention turned to the sky. The sun was almost set and lit the sky in various hues but yet she saw the clouds off in the distance. They were not much of a concern to her but she wished that they would not come any closer and block out the sky during the night. It would be nice to see the stars, especially at sea where the lights of the cities would not block them out._

_Leaning against the railing, Amanda reminisced on the previous days. It was a terrible day after they left the docks. The weather turned for the worst and trapped them near the coast. An ill feeling crept into her stomach and she tasted the sourness of vomit even though there was none to be tasted. She rubbed her stomach. The rolling sea gave her a violent seasickness that first day. It only went away when the weather cleared around noon earlier today. Fortunately, her father extended the trip so that they could see the islands. It would not be a true trip to Costa Rica without lying on a sandy beach with a wall of jungle on one side and an ocean on the other. Though it would not be on the Costa Rica mainland that the relaxation took place, it would be much better being away from the busy tourist pack beaches. Amanda sighed as she looked out over the water. Briefly, a smile graced her face._

"_It's a beautiful sunset," a voice said from behind Amanda._

_Amanda blushed unwillingly. She wanted to turn around and answer but felt embarrassed so simply replied, "Yes, it is."_

_A man leaned against the railing beside her. She gulped slightly. It was Tom Cage. "How's your day so far?" He looked at her with a soft smile._

"_Good," Amanda could only say as she looked at him. He was shirtless and wet. His shorts clung tightly to his body, enticing Amanda to stare. She composed herself and stared out over the water. He smelled of chlorine; he came from the hot tub._

"_Good?" Tom questioned. "This is a great party." He paused for a moment, "Is something wrong?" Amanda swallowed again as he leaned near her and brushed the hair away from her face. "You look a little red."_

_A tremble reverberated down Amanda's body at the touch. His hands were soft yet firm. She gently clasped his hand in her own. "Its' nothing," She said softly. "I think it's the heat or the seasickness bothering me a little, maybe both." Smiling, Amanda leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for caring though." With that she wandered away and when she was sure that he could not see her, a large smirk graced her face and she sighed softly._

_Amanda went down into the recesses of the ship to her cabin, a small but at least unshared room with a bed and a dresser but that was about it. It had a porthole so at least she could look outside but the walls were a bland faded grey and smelled suspicious of some previous activities by the occupants. The only real complaint she could truly give was of the pornographic magazine she found while checking the bed for bedbugs. The things in it nearly made her throw up. How could anyone do that with an animal?_

_She flopped onto the bed and stared out the porthole. She placed her hand to where Tom had touched her and sighed. He was her best friend, well next to Ellie anyway, and yet she wished for more. A smile forced her lips to curve. He was as smart as he was good looking. And, Tom had a personality to match. She mused about the jokes he would tell._

_Through the vent she heard an argument going on. It seemed to be her father and the captain. She could not tell what was being said though. Curious, Amanda hopped out of bed and started for the deck._

**Amanda awoke in** tears. Her face throbbed and her jaw felt sore. Her eyes opened to see some blood around her hand. Why was she on the floor? Then she remembered the fall and groaned. Rolling onto her back, Amanda stared at the roof of the building. The room was quiet but that did not last long.

Scratching came from the door and her heart jumped. She sat up quickly and immediately regretted it. The room began to spin and bolts of pain shot through her body. She let out a cry. The door shook and snapped but did not break from its hinges. Her heart raced. What was trying to get in! The door shook again, this time a hinge broke loose. There were only too more and they were unlikely to hold another hit.

Acting quickly, Amanda crawled to the hide-a-bed. She pulled the blankets down to cover the open space underneath and then crept into the darkness. Moments after, the door gave way and slammed onto the ground with a bang, kicking up dust and leaves. Amanda held her breath as something walked into the room. It sniffed the air and walked around the room. It did not get far.

The blankets lifted in front of Amanda and she gasped. It was the animal that had saved her. She relaxed a little but not much. The animal looked at her with curious eyes and then made a strange low growl. Amanda tensed but when it did not do anything she relaxed again. The creature continued to stare at her and it made her uneasy.

Finally, Amanda decided to speak. "I fell, that's all." She crawled out from under the hide-a-bed and brushed off the dust with her uninjured hand. The creature continued to stare at her. What the _hell_ did it want? She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled up the blanket. It was then she realized why it had found her so easily, there was a bloody streak down the blanket where she lifted to get under, not to mention the marks on the floor.

"I heard something outside and went to look. The desk broke and I fell." Amanda pointed to the door. "Why don't you go back to the other room now that you ruined my room?" She did not know why but she felt as if the creature gave her an apologetic look as it left to room. She quickly shook it off as nonsense. Animals did not feel like that, they could not … or could they? Thinking about it gave her a headache and so she just crawled to the back of the bed and laid her head on the jacket. Turning her head to see the door, her eyes grew heavy until they closed and she slipped into a slumber.

"_**Amanda darling," Amanda's** mother, Crystal, protested._

_Amanda looked back to see her mother give a disapproving shake of her head. She sighed and turned away from the door to the wheelhouse. Instead she walked over to her mother and crossed her arms. "I was wondering what was going on."_

"_I know you were," Crystal said in her soft, soothing voice. "But it would be best to leave your father be until he is done talking. You know that."_

"_But what are they arguing about?"_

_Crystal sighed. "The captain is a superstitious man and doesn't want to make for the islands anymore." She looked over Amanda's shoulder at the door and to the window beside it where she could see the two men silhouetted. "The captain thinks that the storm coming from the mainland is a bad sign and wants to turn back. He doesn't want to stay drop anchor anywhere near the islands in storm. The fool thinks he can make land before the strongest part of the storm hits."_

_Amanda gulped. "He wants to try and go through a storm!"_

"_To make matters worst, the crew is more superstitious than he. They think that the islands are cursed by dragons. They don't want to set as much as a foot on the island." She looked down at Amanda's worried face. "But don't you fret. Your father will talk some sense into the captain. Just go and enjoy yourself."_

_Amanda watched as her mother walked away. It was bad enough that there was another storm; a bunch of superstitious seamen did not help ease her mind. But Amanda took her mother's advice and wander to the bow of the ship. She looked down at the water breaking at along the front. It was somewhat soothing to see the churning water._

_Soon, she sat down with a leg on either side of the railing post at the bow. Amanda hung her arms over one of the horizontal bars. The thought of going through the storm nagged at her and made her feel a little sick in the stomach. It was bad enough that the first storm made her seasick. Now, a second storm away from shore was dangerous. Consumed in her thoughts, Amanda paid little attention to the footsteps approaching her._

_Suddenly, Amanda was in a hug. She looked over her shoulder to a smiling face. It was Ellie Tapping, her best friend. Amanda smiled, "Hi Ellie. What are you up to?"_

"_Trouble as usual," Ellie smirked. "What are you up to?"_

"_Same," Amanda looked back at the ocean._

"_I thought you could use some cheering up," Ellie said and joined Amanda. She took a seat on the bow with her legs hanging over the edge._

"_Why would I need cheering up?"_

"_I caught what your mother said," Ellie replied, shaking her head._

"_You know she doesn't like it when you listen in," Amanda said. "Or for that matter, stick you nose where it doesn't belong. Her words not mine." Amanda mused for a moment, "She hasn't really liked you since you walked in on her and my dad …."_

_Ellie put her hand over Amanda's mouth. "Don't talk about that!" She withdrew her hand and sighed. "I thought I should let you know that we are going to the islands. I overheard your dad." She received a disapproving but accepting look from Amanda. "I should be going, your mom's coming. This has been one of the best days of my life!" As Ellie walked away, she passed Amanda's mother. Casually she said, "Good Evening Mrs. Glendale."_

"_Evening," Crystal said, slightly confused. "Amanda darling, I have some good news."_

"_I know," Amanda said, leaning back with a smirk._

"_That meddlesome little girl," Crystal exclaimed, "I aught to confine her to her room for the rest of the voyage! How you can find friendship with such a troublesome … girl, I haven't the slightest idea." Amanda just smiled. "Well anyway, we will be at the islands in less than an hour. We will drop anchor on the far side to keep the wind and waves at a minimum and if it is pleasant in the morning, we'll get to go to shore. Now where is that little misfit, I'm going to give a stern talking to her!"_

"_Don't mother," Amanda said. "It'll only encourage her." She could not help but smirk as her mother walked away anyway. She was determined nonetheless. Amanda looked back over the ocean. She swore she could see the outline of the island through the darkness. Ellie was wrong, Amanda thought, tomorrow would be the best day …._

**Something nudged Amanda.** She opened her eyes and screamed. A large carnivorous maw packed with large white teeth leading to a black, black as the lightlessness of a cavernous cave far from the surface, gullet filled her vision. Foul, putrid breath washed over her face in waves. Amanda puked.

What ever was in her face disappeared from her vision and she leaned over the edge of the bed to try and save the blankets, though she doubted she would use them again. When she was done, a nudge to her shoulder drove her gaze up. It was the animal. It had come into her room again!

"What the hell do you want!" Amanda exclaimed and rolled onto her back with her arms crossed across her stomach. She hoped she did not puke again. The creature nudged her cheek. Amanda felt a wet coolness to her skin. Immediately, she reached up and touched her face. "Why did you do …," Amanda paused. It was not saliva but tears. She rolled over and looked up at the creature. "I was … was crying. Was that what you wanted to let me know?"

The creature nodded and made a soft, seemingly sympathetic growl.

"Did I wake you or …?" Amanda did not finish before it nodded. "I … uh … I'm sorry." She paused. "I guess." It nudged her again. She did not know what it wanted. Again, it nudged. "What do you want?" Another nudge came. "Are you hungry?" It shook its head. "I don't know what … you …. You want to know why?" It nodded. Amanda paused for a moment. "I had a dream, that's all."

Amanda sat up and looked at the blanket. She tasted the sourness in her mouth and spit. Realizing the blanket would not clean without water, she tossed it onto the pile of debris and lay on to bed, a little cooler than she was before. The creature stood with its head cocked to one side. Amanda returned the look then after a moment said, "I'm alright. You can go lay down in the other room again."

It slowly walked into the next room. When the tail disappeared, Amanda laid her head on the jacket again and closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply though her plugged nose. Unconsciously, a hand wiped the tears from her face. As she closed her eyes again, one thought lingered, _Mother_.

_**Amanda stood at** the bow of the ship with a smile on her face as she stared out at the white beach and lush jungle before her. It was going to be an excellent day once morning came. The stormed passed south, fortunately. And since the storm passed to the south, the yacht was able to anchor close to shore, closer than it would normally achieve._

"_Amanda darling," _

_Amanda groaned and turned to face her mother. "Yes mother," she replied._

_Her mother had changed into an evening gown, the parents and older relatives had set up a little dance floor at the back of the yacht and she wanted to outdo them all in appearance. Crystal wore a long red dress with a sting of silver and pearls around her neck, her long golden hair held back with a red-gold circlet and her blue-green eyes enhanced by the rosy red cheeks, made possible by a combination of alcohol and makeup._

"_What are you doing out here?" Crystal asked softly. "You should get some sleep. It'll be a busy morning if we go ashore. You might have to get up early."_

"_I'm just getting a good look around. I'll be off to bed in a few minutes." Amanda watched as her mother walked to her and kissed her on the forehead._

"_Alright dear," Amanda's mother said softly. "Don't be long."_

_Amanda sighed as she watched her mother walk away and join the others. For a minute she watched the group dance to music, quieted for those sleeping, but soon she found herself drawn back to the island._

_The clear, starry sky illuminated by the moon and blotched by a few dark clouds silhouetted the island's high mountains and gave it an almost supernatural feel. A gentle breeze swayed the branches of the trees, rustling leaves and giving the island a living appearance. The wind also drove waves to break upon the soft and jagged shore creating a gentle sound that soothed the heart. Inland some ways, a brown-grey cliff broke the canopy. Following it lazily, Amanda's gaze drew to an odd shape among the trees. It looked like a building._

_With a tilt of her head, Amanda looked at the spot for a long time. It must be a building. She could not see it as anything else. Then something else caught her eye, movement. Someone, or something, was moving on the roof. From the distance it was hard to discern but it looked like an animal. It appeared to stand on two legs and …. A noise caught her attention and she looked back to the beach. In the dark of the jungle, a large dark figure moved!_

_From the jungle a giant beast of a creature broke from the jungle and headed straight for the boat. Amanda tried to scream but could not. She managed to turn and ran to the middle of the ship before she tripped and fell. The yacht rocked violently. The people dancing fell to the floor. Alarms rang out from below deck._

"_Bloody hell," a well dressed man came out of the wheelhouse and headed to the bow. He looked over the edge and into the depths. "I think we hit a reef!"_

"_It's not a …," Amanda could not finish as the water exploded and the man disappeared in the jaws of the monster. Screams irrupted from the crowd gathering on deck. People scrambled about the back of the ship and then the boat rocked as creature disappeared, leaving only a blood splattered bow. The boat heaved to the right and began to sink to the left side. People fell into the water while others grappled at whatever they could find. Amanda managed to grab hold of the railing but only just in time._

"_Amanda!" Crystal shrieked. She scrambled along the railing until she reached Amanda. She pulled her daughter's arm and helped her onto the side of the boat._

"_Mom," Amanda cried as tears flowed down her cheeks._

"_What was that thing?" Amanda's mother exclaimed. She tried to keep her composure but her fear was apparent. The boat jarred suddenly and Amanda slipped fell over the side. She stopped midair. Her mother had her by the arm but she was slipping. "Hang on Amanda!"_

_Amanda was about to reply when a massive body rose out of the water from the other side of the boat. The massive crocodilian head appeared behind her mother. "Look out mother, it's behind …," Amanda could not finished as the jaws slapped around her mother._

_Fear and pain and hopelessness filled Crystal's face all at once. She tried letting go of Amanda but Amanda tightened her grip. Then suddenly, the creature lifted Crystal and Amanda high into the air. With a quick snap of its head, it tossed Amanda into the air. The grip she had to her mother was not strong enough and her fingers slipped from her wrist to her hand, to the finger tips and then nothing. Amanda was falling. And yet, she remained looked with her mother's eyes as the light and spirit behind them faded and emptied. All the while, Amanda desperately reached through the air for her mother. "Mommy," Amanda cried out just before the icy ocean engulfed her._

**Amanda awoke and** … gasped for air. She could not breathe! Amanda clawed at her throat desperately. Her body burned and her limbs stiffened. It was as if a vice was compressing her. Convulsions rocked her. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement.

"Help," Amanda gasped. Suddenly something weighted down the hide-a-bed and she was pushed off of it. She hit the floor hard but it did the trick. Her breathing came in quick, ragged breaths and she began to cough between breaths. Then after a minute, she collapsed to the floor and just breathed. She managed to speak, "Thank you."

As she lay helplessly on the floor, a shadow fell over her and she managed to look up to the creature that had helped her and yet received nothing in return. She truly felt sorry for and thankful for it. "Thank you …, thank you …, Thank you," Amanda said, exhausted. The full reality of her situation hit her and she began to cry.

A purring came from the creature and it laid next to her. Amanda felt it rub its nose against the back of her neck. For some reason she could not explain, she took comfort in it. A few minutes pass and finally, she was able to calm her breathing enough that she could sit up. The creature got up and moved away from her. Slowly, Amanda crawled back into bed and looked at the creature. It gave her one last look and wondered out of the room.

"Wait," Amanda said. Her heart jumped but she calmed herself again. The creature's head poked back into the room. "Why … why … why don't you stay?" She received a tilt of the head as a response. "Well, maybe … you could stay with me tonight."

Amanda swallowed as the creature walked over the bed and lay on the floor. She leaned over the edge of the bed and locked eyes with the creature. "I was thinking, maybe, you could stay on the bed with me." She could not believe she just said that but did not retract even as the creature stepped onto the bed and lay on the end, eyeing her.

Amanda slid to the back of the bed and took jacket into her hands, holding it against her stomach. "I did not want any of this. I thought you should know." She paused for a moment. "My friends …, my family …, they're … they're all dead." The creature looked at her with sad eyes. She quickly wiped away her tears as if they were a sign of weakness. "I almost wish that you would have killed me when we met, at least then I would be with them again."

She noticed a slight change in the creature. It seemed like it pitied her. Amanda felt uneasy and so quickly put the jacket down and laid her head on it. She shifted but nothing seemed right. She was afraid to fall asleep. "I've been having nightmares." Amanda said as she stared at the creature. "Mostly of the night our boat was attacked by that creature that killed your family." She noticed his feathers rise. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up." Amanda turned away but she still could not settle.

After an hour of tossing and turning, she rolled and looked at the creature. It had seemingly fallen asleep again. Though she could see that under the closed eyelids the eyes were moving erratically. I must be dreaming. Amanda slowly crawled over the creature, careful not to wake it. She touched her hand to its side. It stirred but did not wake. She gently rubbed the side, feeling the smooth texture of the scales and warmth from inside. It had lain so that its tail hung over one side of the bed and the head nearly over the other, leaving enough space so that she could move the arms and slip in.

Amanda moved his arms as gently as she could and laid her head on its stomach. She heard a low gurgling inside and the slow but constant heart beat. Her head rose and fell with each breath and she felt soothed by it. As Amanda began to close her eyes, she heard the gentle sound of rain falling outside.

Disclaimer: Jurassic Park is the property of its respective owners. Characters not from Jurassic Park and/or other properties are mine and are not to be used without written permission.


	5. An Old Friend

_Jurassic Park Broken Lives_

Chapter Five: An Old Friend

**Silver Claw woke** to an unfamiliar weight to his breathing. Slowly, his eyes opened and he looked to his side where he found the human asleep. She looked peaceful. He nuzzled her head and she rolled so that she faced away from his head. Waking her was out of the question but Silver Claw felt a need to search the compound. After a moment of watching Amanda, he decided to try and get up without waking her.

Slowly, very slowly, Silver Claw tilted his body while pushing away, letting her head slide gently to the bed. She groaned but did not wake, thankfully. He left the rooms and headed down one of the hallways. Tracing the way to the entrance, the various scents kept him at ease. There was nothing out of the ordinary, at least not yet. In a wall nearby, squeaking sounds caught his ear. It was a rat, a large one by the sound. It would satisfy his hunger temporarily but he could not be sure of its location and so kept moving. He did not feel like tearing holes in the wall anyway.

The sun was low in the sky, only peeking out from behind the horizon, as Silver Claw stepped into the light. And yet, he squinted from the brightness. It was different inside the building. The lighting was very different from outside even in a windowed room, being dull and often absent due to the years of filth and decay. Also, the air inside the building was stale, reeking of mold among other things. It would take some getting used to but he could manage; he had to for his survival. Outside however, the cool, damp air drew him into the wet grasses. Stepping silently, Silver Claw descended the small amount of stairs and waded into the grass. He realized that it rained during the night and it felt good to have the tall blades stoke his sides. It almost tickled and the dew was a relief to his dry scales.

Across the island, the other creatures were already awake and busy. Eerie calls reverberated through the valleys and trees. He unconsciously scented the air. There was a kill off in the distance, a fresh kill, a large kill. It tempted him to leave the safety of the fenced area and enter the uncertainty of the jungle beyond. Instinct urged feeding but caution kept him in place. Another scent caught his attention and drew his thoughts back from his hunger. The smell was familiar but it was too faint to fully recognize. He pondered what it could be. It was neither danger nor prey. Perhaps it was remnants of the pack's nesting area or…. Movement in the grasses diverted his thoughts.

Silver Claw raised his killing claws and his feathers stood on end. With slow and calculating sweeps, his predator eyes scanned the grass. Then he caught sight of it, or rather its movements. The creature, whatever it was, was unaware of him as it moved about, stirring the grasses and sending insects into the air. A hiss escaped his curling lips, alerting the creature that it was spotted. Almost immediately, the creature bolted for the fence. Silver Claw gave chase.

In moments, the creature broke cover and headed to an exposed pipe. It was a caudipteryx. It tried to enter but something blocked its way. Silver Claw stopped short of attacking as the creature turned to face him. The caudipteryx was smaller than he, much smaller. The animal was an adult and yet stood only midway to his knee at the shoulder, and to his knee at the head, when it was raised. For a small creature, its aggressiveness rivaled that of a swarm of hungry compsognathus.

A vibrant plumb of feathers, red, yellow, and orange, rattled as the caudipteryx threatened him, albeit unsuccessfully. The spread tail feathers with the shapes of eyes did not fool him but the sharp claws on the three fingered hands and toes made him weary. More worrisome was the mouth that resembled a bird break but with teeth on the top front of the upper jaw. Thought short, they could still hurt him if he were not careful. The whole creature appeared very bird-like but yet was distinctly different. Silver Claw's indecision gave it time to try entering the pipe again, though it did not turn away from him. Its feet began to dig into the mud blocking the pipe.

Silver Claw could not let this meal get away. He lunged but was too slow. The caudipteryx jumped aside and retaliated. Silver Claw yelped as the sharp teeth punctured his scales behind his eyes. It had tried to blind him. With a swift kick of his powerful leg, he hit the animal and sent it into the base of the fence. A loud crack surprised him as the creature did not die. He merely stunned it. Not to waste time, Silver Claw moved quickly to subdue the creature under his foot and drove the long claw through its chest. The caudipteryx shuddered wildly for a few moments, a brief screech escaped the convulsing body, and the creature succumbed to bleeding and shock and then died. He realized he missed the lungs and heart altogether. Careless, the Elders would have told him. A screeching prey is a dangerous prey. Other predators are drawn to distress. He looked down for a moment and watched it to make sure it was dead.

Snapping the caudipteryx up in his jaws, Silver Claw noticed that the pipe opened to the other side of the fence but it was much too small to enter for anything larger than the caudipteryx. A mound of mud and grass prevented the escape of his prey though it would likely disappear later in the day as the soil settled and water disappeared. He worried about compsognathus. They could easily enter the compound. They could also enter through the wires of the fence but most if not all the creatures avoided the inactive fence as if it were active. Perhaps it was just the memory of what it could do that kept them away.

Silver Claw gave a victorious snort and felt satisfied about his kill. He knew it would stay his hunger for a while, if not the rest of the day. If only Sophia were around to share it with him. His heart sank and so he brushed away the troubling thoughts. He had the human to care for, though he did not know if she would eat the caudipteryx. The food she ate the previous day was strange and he doubted there would be much of it around the building.

With a quick survey of the area, Silver Claw moved to the entrance, prey dangling by the neck in his mouth. He slipped silently into the building, taking only a brief glance back to see if anything had changed outside. It had not as far as he could see within the dark jungle. As he passed down the halls again, he heard the familiar squeak from within the wall. He would have to get it later. It would trouble him otherwise, especially if it were to bite him while he slept, as a few of the jungle rats had done in the past. Swift little rodents, he thought miserably, remembering the number of times they had bitten his tail while he slept away from his nest.

As the door came into sight, a low groaning came from within the room beyond. Silver Claw stepped into the room to see the human stumbling towards a couch, rubbing her head where she had hit it the night before. It did not take long for her to notice him and almost immediately, she covered her mouth and lunged for the nearest garbage can. Silver Claw cringed at the disheartening sound.

"Why did you bring that in here," she mumbled, still hanging her head over the garbage can. "Take it outside!"

Silver Claw did not do what she said but instead, he moved by her and dropped it on the floor next to her. Perhaps he could convince her to eat. It landed with a wet thud. She dry heaved this time. It seemed there was nothing left in her stomach to throw up. The strong acidic smell radiating from the vomit and her mouth irritated Silver Claw's nose a little but he remained close to her nonetheless.

Between sickly coughs, Amanda said, "What did I just tell you!" She reached down and grabbed the corpse by the neck and tossed it towards the door with a throw intended to get it out the door but ended up falling short as it slipped from her hand sooner than intended. "Yuck!" Amanda looked at her hand, slimy with saliva and blood. She heaved again.

Silver Claw walked over to the caudipteryx and picked it up. He was about to leave when he got an idea. He turned to Amanda and tossed the body to her again. Maybe he could convince her with persistence. It landed next to her and she looked at him with a disgusted look.

She grabbed it and tossed it back to him. "I don't want it." Silver Claw grabbed it and returned it to her. "You have a morbid sense of play. You know that?" She grabbed it and slid it across the floor, leaving a bloody streak on the grimy floor. Amanda quickly got up and disappeared into the next room before he could return it to her.

Picking up the caudipteryx, Silver Claw moved to the corner of the room parallel to each of the doors so that he could keep a watchful eye on both the human and the hall incase anything were wandering the halls. He lay on the floor and held the corpse under his right hand. Sinking his teeth into the feathers, he pulled up, ripping a mouthful of feathers out along with some flesh. He spit it out and grabbed more feathers and did it again until a large enough area was clean so that he could get to the pale, bloodied, rough skin beneath. He lost sight of Amanda as he ripped into the body cavity, forcing his snout as far as his crest into the bloody hole, breaking the delicate bones, causing feathers to cover his eyes, and then tore out a chunk of skin and muscle out with a heavy twist and pull of his head, leaving the body misshapen from having such a large object forced inside of the smaller space.

As he fed, Amanda reappeared and walked out of the room, disappearing into the hallway with a number of objects in her arms, though he could not tell what they were. Silver Claw felt a little uneasy with her out of his sight and presence. There could be some danger lingering in the forgotten hall and rooms of the building. He dismissed the thoughts after a moment and continued to eat, tearing open the abdomen, spilling the intestines on the floor but allowing him access to the liver and heart.

When the good meat was extinguished and the body picked as cleanly as possible with his broad mouth, Silver Claw rolled to his side and cleaned his claws, licking the dried blood from the killing claw. He then licked his lips, savoring the metallic taste of the drying blood. With a stretch of his limbs, he stood and headed into the hallway. It was easy to follow Amanda's scent down the corridors even though she left over a half hour ago. He wandered in and out of a number of rooms and even passed by the main entrance as he looked for where she went. It seemed she did not have a destination in mind when she left. After a few minutes, he found the end of the trail. A closed metal door with a faded sign stood between him and the room. He cocked his head and looked at the doorknob. It was a handle and he could easily open it. He lifted his hand and pushed down on the handle, using his head to push open the door slowly and without a sound. He was a little surprised Amanda did not lock it.

As a crack appeared between the door and its frame, he saw into the room. It was smaller than the other rooms of the building, at least those he had seen. The right wall, composed of dirty white blocks with mosses growing in cracks, gave way to a doorway leading out of sight. Silver Claw stuck his head into the room and looked past the entrance door. The far wall had high windows, dirty and cracked with age but yet let the foliage beyond to be noticeable within the building, and tall lockers, reaching just short of the windows. Between him and the far wall lay two rows of rotten benches where fungi grew in clumps. The left wall was windowless but not bare, two sinks jutted out of the wall with cracked and dirty mirrors sitting above them. Silver Claw did not see Amanda but he smelled her.

With silent steps, Silver Claw walked into the room and the door closed behind him without a sound. He wandered towards the left wall, eyeing the sinks. Inside the closest sink, he saw a mound of moss sitting in a foul smelling pool of rusty water. He looked up and saw a black spot on the roof where the water was entering the room. A drop dripped and landed on his snout. He shook his head and then wandered to the next sink. It was clean, unnaturally clean. Someone had cleared out the stuff inside, as evident by the small mass inside a garbage can beside the sink. A scent caught his attention, it was fruity. He sniffed the sink; it was the source. The reason behind it smelling like fruit escaped him. He moved on and passed by the lockers. Most were closed and he ignored them. A few had their rusted locks. Close to the doorway, he noticed a locker that was opened fully. He reached it and looked inside. There was a small platform near the top but it was bare. Clothing, on a small metal hook, hung beneath the platform. The green shirt, blue shorts, revealing woman's underwear, and small belt smelled stale but were relatively clean, at least when compared to the rest of the room making him suspect they were from another area of the building.

A noise came from the adjacent room. Silver Claw approached the doorway and took notice of several metal stalls and more sinks as well as another doorway leading into yet another room. He noticed his refection in the mirror and realized there was still blood on his snout. Quickly, he cleaned it off and continued into the room. He doubted Amanda would handle blood on him well. Silver Claw squatted and looked under the metal stalls. The first on was clear and so was the second. The third smelled of urine and other bodily wastes but was otherwise clear. He did not bother to push any of the doors open and look any more closely at the whitish objects contained inside.

As he approached what he hoped was the last doorway between he and Amanda, a low humming caught his attention. It was soft and sweet and in complete opposition to the decay around him. The sound made him feel a little better about the place, and the tune prodded his mind as if trying to retrieve something long forgotten but could not find it. Silver Claw saw that the room beyond was slightly different than the room he was in. Its walls were tiled with small blue tiles set amid white filling between them. The floor was smooth and sloped towards rusted drains partially clogged with something he did not recognize. He entered the room and turned to his left where he saw Amanda.

Amanda stood facing away from him and completely nude. Her body was soaked and covered in small bubbles. Through the bubbles, he saw her muscles flexing as she moved her unseen arms. Markings just above her buttock drew his attention. There were too many bubbles for him make out the design clearly. It was very odd he thought and he wondered if she had any other markings on her body and if they were common among humans. Something deep and buried inside of him aroused and he felt a little strange as if something buried in his mind wanted him to move closer. He could not describe why but he felt drawn towards her. Silver Claw walked across the room until he was only a meter short of her and he cocked his head.

As he stared at her, she knelt down and dipped a rag into a clear container on the floor. She stood back up and reached a hand over her shoulder, wiping the rag across her skin and up her neck. For a moment, her hand disappeared beneath her hair and then traced her jaw line until she wiped her face. Silver Claw leaned forward and sniffed her hair. She had the same fruity smell to her that the sink held. A shiver ran down her body but she did not turn around. She must have though his breath a breeze. As Amanda bent over again to dip the rag into the water at her feet, an evil thought came to Silver Claw and he could not resist. His head lowered and he gave her a shove against the rear with the flat of his head.

Amanda screamed as she toppled over and landed on the floor with a wet thud. Immediately, she rolled over and gasped. Silver Claw stood with his teeth showing and tail moving slightly from his amusement since he did not dare make any loud sounds. As fast as she rolled over, her hands cupped her breast and her legs crossed. He face reddened quickly though if it were blushing or anger, he could not tell.

"What the hell are you doing in here!" She shrieked. Anger, definitely anger, he thought. Silver Claw only stared at her and cocked his head as he examined her. She had no other markings. He could not respond anyway and so walked closer to her and sniffer her. He wondered why she had the fruity smell and yet another smell he could not locate but it intrigue him, though he knew not what it was.

Amanda backed up as far as she could without uncrossing her legs and yelled at him, "Get out." Silver Claw ignored her and moved to the container. He bent down. "Don't drink that!" He stuck his tongue in it. It was extremely distasteful. Even though it smelled of fruit, it tasted terrible and the taste lingered on his tongue no matter how much he tried to get it off. He hardly noticed as Amanda stood up.

Suddenly he felt a forceful shove on his side that nearly knocked him over. He looked and hissed at Amanda. Nonetheless, she shoved him again. This time he moved a little. "Get out!" When he did not so much as budge, she reached down and grabbed the rag, twirling it around between her hands. "Get out!" Silver Claw simply cocked his head at her strange actions. He yelped as a sharp pain short from his side followed by a crack. He took several steps back and looked at her with confusion. She started to twirl it again and he backed away further. "It's obvious you're not going to hurt me so get out or you'll get it again!" She snapped the rag in the air and Silver Claw quickly ran out of the room.

When he was clear of the rooms, Silver Claw stopped in the hallway. How could the human be so mean to him after he saved her life? He was just curious. Turning his head, he examined the sore spot on his side. There was no visible mark but it stung. He did not wish it again. He shook his body and started down a hallway. He turned a corner and saw light coming from a doorway. Curiosity got to him and so he investigated and found it to be the same room where he had met Amanda. Nothing had changed since that day.

Slowly wondering into the room, the light did not bother his eyes as much as it had originally. He walked to the edge of the room where the open door gave way to a plunge down the cliff. He stepped as close to the edge as he dared, just enough so that his head was outside the building. It was nice to breathe fresh air and he took in a deep breath. However, his eyes immediately caught sight of gulls circling along the shore. It was not uncommon but interesting. He traced the circling creatures down the beach and saw something strange. A shape was moving, rather crawling, from the ocean and making its way up the beach until it stopped and remained still. A break in the trees allowed him sight of the breach but it was not a large break. At first he thought it a turtle but then he noticed debris behind it and caught on it. He looked long and hard until he was able to discern its shape better. It was a human!

Silver Claw looked towards the hall and did not see anything. He wondered if Amanda were nearby or still in the room cleaning. He had to get her attention; he dared not lose sight of the human. His head lifted and he made a loud barking sound. When he did not hear anything in response, he continued and did not stop. It was dangerous and could attract a predator to him but he had to get Amanda's attention.

After a few minutes, he heard, "What the hell are you doing now!" He turned to see Amanda dressed in the clothing from the locker but still a little wet. It especially showed on her clothing where wet blotches marked the areas where she had yet to dry off, her chest on the underside of her breasts, beneath her arms, and around her waist. He chirped and looked in the direction of the human on the beach, unmoved since it came to a rest. He hoped it was not dead.

"Whatever," Amanda said and she started to walk away. Silver Claw raced to her and grabbed hold of her shirt by the front. She shrieked and slapped his snout but he did not release. She tried to pull away and so he dragged her back into the room. She squirmed and protested but he did not let go until she was close to the door. At first she had a look like he was going to throw her out the door.

He looked at her and then looked out the door to where the human lay. He chirped. Amanda stood up and started to walk away when he hissed. She froze. "What do you want?" He looked at her and then the other human. "You want me to look out the door?" He nodded. "Fine but then I'm going." She walked over and glanced out the door then turned around to leave. Silver Claw hissed. "What do you want!" She protested and crossed her arms. He looked out the door. After a moment, she followed his gaze but did not immediately see what he was looking at but after a moment, the object moved and caught her eye. It was still alive! "A big turtle," she cocked an eyebrow. "That's what you wanted me to see?" He shook his head and nudged her. "What?" He nudged her again. "What do you want?" He nudged her and looked at the other human. "I see it, a turtle, very nice." He shook his head and nudged her twice. "Not a turtle," she asked skeptically. He shook his head and nudged her again.

"It's a…" she hesitated before finishing and he could see the thoughts going through her head as she tried to understand his meaning, "person?" Silver Claw nodded and immediately was pushed aside as she grabbed each side of the doorframe to steady herself as she looked toward the beach. Silver Claw could see her bottom lip tremble as she looked and a tear rolled down her cheek. "Alive, someone survived!" She turned and raced out of the room.

For a moment, Silver Claw paused and thought about the situation. He realized that he knew of no way down and with the gulls circling a predator was bound to be attracted to the area. The human could be dead by the time they reached it or they could be attacked once they got there or even before then. It made Silver Claw nervous. Finally, he decided to follow Amanda. Perhaps she knew of a way down, after all, she did reach the building from the same area.

Silver Claw exited the room and made his way to the entrance where he saw Amanda. She was on her knees with her hands covering her face. He could hear her sobbing. As he approached, Silver Claw lowered his head to her level and when he was close enough, he gently nudged her. She did not react immediately.

After a while, Amanda spoke. "This is all a nightmare, one terrible, terrible nightmare." She looked at Silver Claw. Her eyes were red and pleading. Tears streaked her face and her lips trembled. "Please God, let this be a nightmare." Silver Claw lay next to her and looked her in the eye. Her eyes closed partially and tears poured. "I want my mommy back. I want to go home." She covered her face as if she were ashamed of something and turned away.

Those final words struck Silver Claw and brought back his own memories he had kept silent for a long time. He remembered his mother and how she died when he was but a hatchling. He missed her and wished she were alive. Then he remembered his nest. All of it was gone. He could not go home. He was alone. He had no delusions of dreams and nightmares however. Life entailed pain and suffering along the good things. Unfortunately the pain was easily remembered while the good was easily forgotten.

Silver Claw looked at Amanda. She was like him in more ways than she knew. He leaned towards her and licked her cheek. He tasted the salt of her tears but felt no compulsions, only sadness. She looked at him and her expression softened. With a quick lunge, Amanda wrapped her arms around Silver Claw's neck and squeezed. Her head rested against his as she sobbed a little.

"Thank you," Amanda whispered and leaned back. She wiped the tears from her eyes but more took their place. "We'd better go help whoever it is." Amanda quickly stood, stumbled slightly, and exited the building. She was clearly in pain still but trying to hide it from him.

Silver Claw stepped out onto the stairs and looked towards the pipe. It was clear but he felt uneasy about it. Some of the mud and grass shifted and it appeared to be larger than he originally thought. Amanda reached the gate and he cocked his head as she slid the bar, unlocking the gate, and then opened the gate with a loud creak. She left the compound and headed left, going around the corner, and turned towards the cliff.

As Silver Claw exited the compound, he slipped between the gate and fence, cutting himself as he left. He looked at the wound and figured it was not serious enough for any more attention. When he caught up to Amanda, she walked a narrow path along the cliff, one he had no idea existed. Then again, he rarely went anywhere near the building when so many other places were interesting and closer to the nest, areas less likely to get him in trouble with the Elders.

Amanda was no longer crying, or at least not that he could hear. Her posture was upright and she held herself more imposingly. It seemed she had talked some kind of confidence into herself. Silver Claw moved next to her, on the jungle side. He was concerned about getting any closer to the cliff than he already was. He saw her face and she indeed had stopped crying but her face and eyes were still red. She looked at him and managed a small uneasy smile. After a moment, she placed her hand on his side, rubbed his shoulder and looked as if she would speak but closed her mouth and she looked away, letting her hand slide off him.

Silver Claw was puzzled by the action and did not think long about it. After a few minutes, Amanda stopped and looked around. She was searching for something. Silver Claw looked too but he only saw the jungle and the cliff beside him. Amanda wandered ahead and pushed through the branches of a fallen tree. She shrieked and then Silver Claw heard a thud.

Immediately, Silver Claw leapt to the tree but expected the worse. He reached it and looked around but could not see Amanda. Then something grabbed him and he kicked at it. It was Amanda standing on a platform two meters below him. She rubbed her hand. She had to jump in order to get his attention. Silver Claw jumped off the tree and stood on the edge of the drop, looking down. The tree had covered the way down and Silver Claw did not know how he could get down.

"There are a few pipes that follow the cliff down." She said with a slight look of amusement. It reminded him of Sophia. "I don't know if you can follow make it down the ladder though." She looked to an area he could not see and then back to him. "The tree must have broken the rest of the ladder because it reached the top of the cliff. In the jungle a little ways is a shed. I have no idea what it was used for though. I couldn't get in."

Silver Claw looked into the jungle but could not see the shed though he saw the exposed and corroded pipes a short distance away. Wires, apparently ripped out by some creature, sat exposed and were rusted, though some still had a protective sheath around them. He was not about to go and look for the shed. It was just something else he would wonder about. As his attention turned back to Amanda he realized there was only on way he was going to get down, falling. He did his best to angle himself so that he could get past the branches but he caught more than a few.

Amanda had to jump back as Silver Claw landed on the old grated platform with a loud and metal squealed as if grinded. It was not one platform but two, a platform must have collapsed down and lay atop the other. A fragile protective railing was the only reason the platform did not slide over the edge and fall to the ground far below. Standing up, the unevenness of the platforms became more apparent as Silver Claw realized that the top platform was bent as if something heavy stepped on it. That was probably the cause of the collapse. Amanda only laughed at him.

"Well you made it down." She said mockingly and stated to place her feet on the ladder, to the right of the pipe. Suddenly the two platforms shifted and she lost her footing. Silver Claw grabbed her just before she fell out of reach. Amanda quickly grasped a tight hold of the ladder, anchored to the cliff better than the platforms seemingly. She looked at Silver Claw, "Thanks again." She then started to climb further down. She stopped on the next platform about ten meters below the one Silver Claw stood on. As she looked up at him she said, "I don't think you can do this."

Silver Claw eyed the ladder. He knew how to climb up it but not how to climb down. The building had a ladder on the outside and that was how he reached the roof but he could just jump down afterwards. Amanda seemed to lose her patience as she crossed the platform and started down the next ladder, this one to the left of the pipes, to the next platform. Beneath her, there were seven more platforms before the ladder touched the ground. It was easy to see them through the grated floors. Silver Claw could not stall anymore, he had to try something. He managed to get hold of a bar above the ladder and pull himself up enough to allow his tail to slip into the opening. It was a slow process but after seven minutes, Silver Claw managed to get close enough that he pushed off and landed on the platform, bending it downward slightly. He continued the process until he was on the final platform. Amanda waited for him there, seemingly nervous to go any further without company.

She looked at him with her arms crossed. "Took you long enough," she said with frustration evident in her tone. She grabbed hold of the railing and looked at the jungle pressed tightly against the Cliff. The area around the ladder was once clear and only the neglect it received afterwards allowed trees to begin growing again. It did allow some sight into the dense jungle however. The darkness beneath the canopy was all inclusive and allowed only a few meters of penetration, even for Silver Claw. It appeared clear however.

"You go first," Amanda said, breaking the silence. Silver Claw looked at her. It was obvious that she was scared but she did not show it. Something in the jungle must have spooked her when she passed through it. He sniffed the air, the wind had shifted on the climb down and now blew towards the cliff, making Silver Claw's climb all the more difficult near the end. He could smell the sea and the forests but other than that, it seemed there were no creatures around. Strange he thought. Nonetheless, he did as she asked and climbed down the ladder. When he reached bottom, he wandered into the trees, short compared to the jungle but still taller than he.

"Don't go far," Amanda exclaimed from the platform and she started down as well. It did not take her nearly as long as it did him. When she hit the ground, she made her way directly to him without hesitation. Silver Claw saw a slight paleness to her as they walked under the eaves of the jungle and into the dark interior. He could tell something had her on edge but she did not speak of what it was and he could not ask. That frustrated him.

The ground changed from firm earth to soggy and spongy mosses. Each step Silver Claw took made him sink enough that his claws broke the mat of vegetation. When he picked up his foot, some of the ground came with it and so left upturned patches behind him. Easy to follow back but also easy to be followed he thought. After a few minutes, the surroundings changed again to a wetter more branch and root blocked mess. When Silver Claw took a step, his foot broke the surface and sunk into mud. Amanda, who had kept close to him the whole time, climbed onto the roots and branches, too thin to support Silver Claw and so he was forced to clamber through the mud and other soft surfaces, he thought best not to think about. It would take him a while to clean it all off, however. He shook his head as if got caught in a large spider's web.

After a while into the muck, Amanda spoke softly. "It was night last time I came through here. It was colder too." She looked around suspiciously but calmed down a little. "I…I wanted to talk about last night." Silver Claw looked at her sympathetically and she managed a slight smile. "I wanted to say thank you for being there. It means a lot, even though you are just an animal. It's nice to know you're there." She took a deep breath. "I don't know if you have dreams or not but I've been having nightmares since it got to this horrible place. I didn't want to talk about it last night but I guess you should know. I mean you lost your family or…whatever you call it, too." Amanda hopped over a large fallen tree that Silver Claw had to go around. "I was having my birthday celebrations on a boat and we were attacked by that thing with the big fin. I made it to shore and ran for my life." A visible shudder ran down her. "So many people screaming and I just ran." Tears ran down her cheek and she did not bother to wipe or hide them. "I could have done something, maybe got its attention or…." She paused and looked at Silver Claw, "Anyway, I came into this place. The hooting scared me the most. It was the most unnerving thing I have ever heard, bunch of stupid owls."

Silver Claw stopped and looked at her. He knew exactly what creature made hooting and it was not owls. Amanda noticed his stop as well and appeared puzzled. Silver Claw sniffed the air but could not smell anything other than the swamp around him. Nonetheless, he did not want to stay in one place for long and so picked up the pace. Amanda, with her easier path, struggled to keep up.

"That hooting wasn't owls, was it?" Amanda said as she clambered along a series of roots. Silver Claw shook his head. In the distance as if on cue, he heard a sound, a hooting. His pace quickened. He did not know if they were found out but he was not about to stay and find out. Amanda got nervous and missed a branch, falling into the mud beside Silver Claw, spraying him with a sickly mess of rotting foliage and other unknowable things. "Damn it," Amanda exclaimed and slapped the mud before picking herself up and getting back on the roots.

It was four more minutes before they made it out the swamp and the ground became more ridged. The ground became soils layered with leaves. Sounds came to fill the air. Not so distant waves broke upon the coast, birds sang unseen, and a chorus of insects filled the undergrowth. Silver Claw did not hear another hoot, though that should have put him at ease, it did not. He wondered if the creatures were lurking unseen, waiting, watching, and hungry. After a few more minutes, the canopy opened up but it did not help. Clouds were moving in.

"We should be close," Amanda stated nervously, "I hope he's still alive, or she. Please, let them be alive." She quickened her pace as the wall of trees gave way to the open space beyond.

Silver Claw exited the jungle shortly after Amanda. She was on her knees in the sand. He looked back and forth along the broad, cool, white sand beach speckled with pieces of debris and blackened in places with some kind of residue, likely from the boat. The sky above was clear of the gulls but alive with dragonflies. They were too late. Silver Claw felt his heart sink. He had no attachment to the person but Amanda did. He had empathy for her.

"We're too late," Amanda said in a soft voice that scarcely hid her sadness. She rolled from her knees to her side and lay looking at the morning sky, still pink and red in the dawn light.

Silver Claw knew there was nothing he could do for her and so wandered down to the beach to survey the debris. Most of it was wood but there were a few cans and pieces of shredded furniture. The spinosaurus must have continued to attack the boat even after it was sunk. A glint in the water drew Silver Claw's attention to a metal band still attached to the decaying finger that wore it. Fish had eaten part of the finger and that which remained was pale and loose. He wondered where the rest of the body was but doubted it was still in anything close to one piece. Further down the beach, Silver Claw caught sight of a blue tarp rustling in the breeze. It appeared caught on something. Curiosity got to him and he had to check it out.

As Silver Claw made his way do the beach, he glanced at Amanda. She was still laying still; the jungle was not however as the wind shifted again and began to blow out to sea. The tarp lost the breeze moving it and dropped flat, or rather it would have if there were not something beneath it. Silver Claw realized quickly that the tarp was covering a body by the shape of the distortion. He looked back at Amanda but she remained unchanged. He hoped that she would not notice if he looked at the body. She was the only human he had seen and he was curious of how different humans looked to one another. He hoped she would not look at him when he satisfied his curiosity.

Gently, Silver Claw pulled the tarp away from the body and let it go once the person was uncovered. It was a woman about the same size as Amanda but otherwise was different. Unlike Amanda who had brown-red hair that hung to her shoulders, this woman had long violet hair that reached several centimeters lower. Her face was like Amanda's but with a thinner jaw, smaller nose and pale, tinted slightly red. A short gash marked her forehead above the right eyebrow. As he lowered his gaze, he noticed numerous gashes through her red shirt, one by her neck, one across one breast, and a one down her side beneath her left arm. Further down he noted the marks in her heavy material, blue pants. There were more around her legs than her torso. Several gashes, stained by blood, marked her groin and thighs as if she tried to hold onto something with her legs that was also cutting her at the same time. Her calves appeared to have the worst of it as long cuts were easily distinguished from the pants, shredded into long ribbons from the knee down. Caught in the pants was a chunk of coral. Her feet were bare but unscathed oddly.

Movement caught Silver Claw's eye and he looked at Amanda. She was sitting up and looking at him. She saw the body though he doubted she could tell who it was from the distance. He hoped she would not come over to him. However, she did. As she approached, Silver Claw could see the sadness welling up inside her. She could barely hold back the tears.

Something unexpected happened. A light moan resonated in the air. Silver Claw dismissed it at first as his imagination but then it happened again. He looked down at the body he thought a corpse and saw life. Her head had turned slightly. His heart beat quickened and he looked at Amanda. She had neither seen the movement nor heard the sound. Silver Claw looked at her and gave a sharp chirp but she did not understand the meaning. Suddenly, the woman moved more visibly, shifting her arm so that it touched her forehead. Amanda saw it too.

Amanda now raced to the woman and dropped to the ground beside her without slowing down, sending sand into the air. "Ellie," Amanda shrieked in a giddy and yet worried voice. "Ellie, you're alive!" Amanda brought the woman into a tight hug. Ellie responded with a higher pitched moan, obviously discomforted by the sudden movement to her stiff and sore body.

Weakly, Ellie's deep green eyes revealed themselves. She spoke softly with a slight rasp to her voice, "Amanda?" Amanda nodded with a smile. "You're alive or we're both dead." She paused for a moment as Amanda gave a lighthearted chuckle. "No, it hurts too much to be dead." She managed a weak smile.

A distant hoot caught Silver Claw's attention and he was made uneasy again. He hoped the human would be able to walk soon because they would be discovered soon enough if it were not already so. He stepped behind Amanda and nudged her lightly. She heard the hoot as well.

"One sec," Amanda said softly.

"There's someone else here," Ellie smiled, "a rescue team?" Amanda swallowed and shook her head. "Who is it Amanda?" Ellie looked puzzled as to why they had not shown themselves. "Who's behind you?" Ellie lifted her arm and lightly pushed Amanda's shoulder until she could see. Immediately, her face paled lighter than Silver Claw thought able. "Mon…Mon…Monster," she stuttered weakly and with what little of her strength she had, Ellie tried to run but she was only able to roll over and crawl a few feet before collapsing. Her hands seemed confused about where to place pressure as so much of it hurt.

"Ellie," Amanda yelped and dove to her side, turning her over. Ellie coughed several times. "It's ok. He's a friend."

"Are you insane?" Ellie exclaimed between coughs. The rush of adrenaline gave her a little more strength and she was able to sit up on her own. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Probably," Amanda replied and brushed Ellie's face of sand. "He's saved me a few times. I think we can trust him."

"What is _it_?" Ellie asked. She looked at Silver Claw and eyed him suspiciously but soon turned her attention back to Amanda.

"I haven't a clue," Amanda admitted, "but I know he's friendly enough."

"How you know that?" Ellie managed to cross her arms.

"I'll explain later but we have to get moving." Amanda stated plainly and stood up. She reached her hand out to Ellie. "Can you walk?"

Ellie remained still. "Why don't we stay here for a while? Maybe, a rescue boat or plane will come along and see us."

"It's been three days Ellie," Amanda exclaimed. "Today's the fourth. Nobody's coming for us! They're not even searching!"

Ellie's lips trembled. "Four days, four days, it's been that long!"

"Yes," Amanda said and reached down and grabbed Ellie's arm. "We have to get moving or the real monster might find us."

Ellie no longer protested but when she stood, she stumbled and only remained standing by leaning on Amanda. A hoot came from the jungle. It was closer than before. The creature must have found the trail. Silver Claw nudged Amanda.

"I know, I know," Amanda said and looked at Ellie. "We have to go now."

"Go where," Ellie whimpered as pain shot through her body with the effort of taking a step.

"There's a building," Amanda said and pointed towards the cliff and to the building. It was barely visible and almost matched the foliage in the morning light but Ellie saw it. It gave her some hope.

Silver Claw took the lead and entered the jungle, taking a wide circle around the direction the noise originated. It was slow going and with frequent stops. With Ellie's cuts, Silver Claw avoided the swampy area but it almost quadrupled their journey but the ground remained solid. It also took them through the densest area of jungle. The hooting grew louder behind them and soon Silver Claw realized it was more than one creature. The journey that should have taken them a little over a half hour, took two and a half hours. Amanda was beginning to wear out near early and near the end she was in as bad of shape as Ellie. The extra time however allowed Amanda to explain what happened to her in the days following the attack which filled Ellie with disbelief. Silver Claw figured Ellie still did not believe a word of it after Amanda told her that he could understand what they were saying more than any other animal, which she said at the beginning rather than when she learned it. By Ellie's tone, he doubted Amanda could convince her easily if she even tried.

Finally, they reached the cliff and followed it to the pipes. It was nearly noon and the sun was high and hot. The clouds had dispersed a little but more were moving in to take their place. Silver Claw was exhausted but not nearly as much as Amanda and Ellie. His muscles ached and his stomach growled but he could not stop. The hoots came from the distance and were closing in. Silver Claw looked at Ellie and Amanda. They would not make it far up the ladder with the creatures so close. He swallowed and knew what he had to do.

Silver Claw pushed Amanda towards the ladder, trying to make her hurry. She let Ellie start the climb first but she was slower than he thought. Silver Claw shifted anxiously. When Ellie was high enough, Amanda started the climb. The hoots were close now. Silver Claw knew he could no longer wait and so he turned away from Amanda and Ellie and raced into the foliage. Behind him he heard Amanda say something but he could not distinguish it.

When he was far enough away from Amanda and Ellie, Silver Claw raised his head and let out a shrill barking sound that carried far, even in the jungle. That would get the attention of the creatures. He began to move again when he heard a rustling a short distance away. Something wet hit his side and he felt a sharp pain. His small wound was hit with the venom. Silver Claw looked up to see a large, nearly three meters in height, dinosaur emerge from the foliage. It was a dilophosaurus. The creature had a black molted hide that covered its body from head to tail. The head of the creature was small and triangular with a v-shaped crest and the frill extended, hiding its narrow neck. It hissed showing its dark mouth with short sharp teeth. The venomous black spit lingered on some of the teeth. The frill began to rattle and Silver Claw ducked in time as the spit was directed towards his head, aiming for his eyes.

For a brief moment, he wondered why two creatures had tried to blind him in the same day but it was unimportant. Silver Claw took off before the creature could spit again. He raced through the underbrush and barked as he went. He could hear the other dilophosaurus join the chase. They meant to silence him before he could get help. Silver Claw knew that no help would come and so kept running. He knew it was going to quicken the venom if it was able to enter his blood but he had no choice. Quickly, Silver Claw hit the swamp and it slowed his pace considerably. He felt his heart racing but did not know if it were the venom or the chase. Either way, the swamp would slow down the dilophosaurus more than it did him.

It took Silver Claw only a fraction of time as he followed the same path he had gone with Amanda. Briefly, he got stuck and the creatures came into sight but they too got stuck, even more so than he. Silver Claw knew the route and could travel faster. Behind him, he heard the dilophosaurus sloshing through the muck and snapping branches and roots. It definitely slowed them down but also exhausted him. Every muscle in his body screamed stop but he did not. He continued until he reached the beach, hot with the warmth of the sun. Only then did he stop. He looked to one side then to the other. His side felt heavy and he looked at the sickly black stuff on his side. He had to get rid of it.

The dilophosaurus were still in the swamp and so Silver Claw walked to the water's edge. Dropping to the ground, he began to wiggle on the cool wet sand, wiping the goo from his side. He moved a little further down and continued rolling around wiping as much as he could on the cleaner sand so that it did not smear on his side. His side was nearly clear of it and so he moved up the beach enough to reach the dry sand where he rolled and cleaned the remaining stuff off of his side and dried himself in the hot sand as clouds finally blocked out the sun. The dilophosaurus were close.

As Silver Claw stood up, he realized how lucky he was. The venom did not enter his body before rolling around, though it might have during as he noticed the wound trickling blood, the scab broken. Now he had to get away. He knew he could not trick them through the swamp again and so headed around the swamp the far way on the other side of where he had originally gone with Amanda and Ellie. It was risky because he did not know the way to the cliff but he had to try. He ran down the beach as far as he dared and entered the jungle, noting the dilophosaurus as they exited the jungle where he did. As Silver Claw slipped unseen into the jungle, a mild rain began to fall. It would help cover his scent but not much in the sheltered jungle.

The path Silver Claw took was much shorter than the long way around he had taken with Amanda after finding Ellie. He wished they had taken it the first time but was happy he could get through it at a steady pace. Behind him, the dilophosaurus were gaining. Their longer legs, while not as powerful as his, could carry them longer. They had stamina. His was almost gone but held partially by the cool rain against his sides. Within twenty minutes, Silver Claw reached the cliff near the ladders and made his way to them. When he looked up, he did not see Amanda or Ellie. He hoped that was a good thing.

The rain stopped as Silver Claw started his accent. It was sluggish and painful on the slippery metal bars. His arms were not used to the stress of pulling his body weight up. He did not have the developed arms that the adults used when hunting and he would not for another year and a half. Until then he could hold on but not nearly as long as an adult. His legs were not even as strong. An adult could have easily made the journey he had done in less time but he was weary and worn. They too would need a year and a half to strengthen but even then they would not match most adults. As Silver Claw reached the first platform, he looked down and saw his pursuers were nowhere in sight and so quickly began the climb higher. He would not be safe until he was out of spitting range.

It was not until Silver Claw reached the fourth platform that the dilophosaurus revealed themselves but it was too late. He was out of spitting range. For a moment, Silver Claw stopped and took a breath while he looked down at the creatures. He showed his teeth with amusement but that amusement was short lived. It seemed they were smarter than he thought. One of the five creatures moved to the ladder and started to climb it. Silver Claw remembered that they sometimes climbed trees. He felt stupid and started to climb.

He wished he were more than a juvenile of a year and a half. Even though he was larger for his age than the Elders claimed they were at the same age, it did not help him climb any faster. He had to stop at each platform, allowing time for the dilophosaurus to get closer. Three had started the climb while two others waited on the ground. When Silver Claw reached the platform before the last, he noticed some dirt falling and looked up. The tree that was sitting above the pipes had moved, a lot. It was still moving. The rain had loosened the cliff and it was now sliding off it. Silver Claw hurried.

The closest dilophosaurus tried spitting at him but only succeeded in hitting the platform below him. The dilophosaurus picked up its pace as it realized how close to Silver Claw it was. A race the dilophosaurus did not know they were going to lose, Silver Claw thought hoping he would not get caught on the platforms when the tree fell. He reached the top platform. Finally, he thought with relief but realized the tree was still blocking his path. He would have to grab hold of it in order to get up. He had to be quick.

Silver Claw looked down for a moment and saw the dilophosaurus had reached the platform below him. The two grated floors however prevented it from spitting at him. It was now or never, Silver Claw though as the dinosaur started up the final ladder. He leapt up and grabbed hold of a large branch, kicking his legs to get a hold on the cliff. The tree shifted but Silver Claw was able to hook his legs on the cliff and then the top. He managed to pull himself onto the cliff and get away from the tree just in time as the cliff collapsed and fell, sandwiching the platforms beneath it. Silver Claw watched the three dilophosaurus get caught in the collapse while the other two fled into the jungle. When the mass of metal, tree and flesh hit the bottom, it exploded outwards. Silver Claw looked away.

The noon sun beat down on Silver Claw and drove his temperature up. He could not go on and collapsed beneath the eaves of the jungle. His breath came in short, ragged pants and his tongue hung out as far it could go. Staying still was the only way he could cool down. He was thankful for the rain; it had cooled the ground. For several minutes, he remained still, panting as the heat slowly left his body. In the distance, he heard footsteps but they soon headed away from him. He was partially thankful for the wind blowing out to sea so that his scent did not carry into the jungle where it might be caught by a hungry predator.

Finally, he was cool enough and his muscles, while still ridged, would work again. Silver Claw staggered to his feet and followed the path towards the building. He hugged the jungle and dared not wander near the cliff incase it collapsed. After a few minutes, he could see the fence and noticed a low hum in the air. It was not insects. He did not know what it was.

When Silver Claw reached the fence, he followed it around to the gate and saw it was closed and locked but more importantly, it had lights on. Why were the lights on? Silver Claw took a few steps back and looked to the top of the poles that held the wire and saw most of the lights were on. Through the glass, he saw blue and orange. The fence was working and the humans were nowhere in sight.

He dared not to call to them, doubting they could hear him if they were deep inside the building. He wondered if he should leave but he did not want to leave them, at least he hoped it was they who turned the power on. Silver Claw wandered the fence hoping they might see him but after he went to the far side where the walkway used to be and back again, he doubted they were going to see him. He wandered along the fence back towards the path to see if he could find an opening and he did. The tunnel the caudipteryx used. It however was too small for him even with the mud and grass cleared up a little.

In the distance, the spinosaurus roared, sending chills down Silver Claw's spine. If he could not get inside the compound, Silver Claw knew he would have to find a place to hide for the night or longer. Ellie did not take kindly to his presence. Though he did not know where he could go, at least nowhere that was safe. A sound within the compound caught his attention and he cautiously ducked behind the concrete foundation of the fence. He dared not look over the base until he was sure that it was Amanda and Ellie. He heard female voices.

"I can't believe that thing still works." A female voice said.

A second voice replied, "I know. It's a wonder with the dust and age of the machinery. They don't build things like they used to do." There was a soft laugh that Silver Claw immediately recognized as coming from Amanda. He did not stand up however but remained still, listening as Amanda spoke again. "I hope that big thing is somewhere far away."

"Maybe it'll come and get zapped on the fence," Ellie said. Silver Claw suspected she was smiling from her tone.

"And what if the fence breaks?" Amanda asked, only half serious. Silver Claw knew that she would want to see it too. He would also like to see that. "I think getting shocked would only piss it off."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Still it would be funny." Silver Claw heard something rustle in the grass and poked his head high enough to look in the compound. Ellie and Amanda were sitting at the base of the stairs to the building. Ellie appeared exhausted but nonetheless kept moving as she pulled up the grass and appeared to be shaping them into a ring of some sorts.

Amanda sighed heavily and after a long while of silence spoke. "I wonder where he is." She leaned back and supported herself using her arms as she looked straight up at the sky. "I hope he's alright."

"Maybe it got eaten," Ellie said casually. It made Silver Claw feel a little uneasy. What had he done to place so much mistrust in the human? He helped her escape death and yet she distasted his presence. Maybe it was just the shock from the attack. Maybe it would go away with time, just like Amanda. He hoped she would be like Amanda.

As Silver Claw lay in the dirt, he noticed a change in the wind. He knew his scent would be carried into the jungle and eventually something would come looking as he realized that with that scent was the smell of the dilophosaurus, a lingering but thankfully faint scent of the black spit. After a moment of hesitation from his stiff limbs, he stood up.

Silver Claw shook off the dirt and moved towards the gate, catching both women by surprise. However, Ellie quickly whispered something to Amanda which received a look of disgust and then a shake of the head. When Amanda stood up and headed towards the gate, Ellie staggered to her feet and stomped off into the building, disappearing quickly out of sight.

"I'm sorry about her," Amanda said softly. "She's just confused right now." With one hand, Amanda unlocked the gate and with the other hand, pulled it open. Silver Claw stepped into the compound and lowered his feathers. He could see the conflict in Amanda's face even though she managed a small smile. When she closed the gate and locked it, Amanda turned to him and said, "I thought you abandoned us to die." Silver Claw lowered his head and cocked it to one side. He saw her expression soften and she patted his snout tentatively. "I'd better go find Ellie before she hurts herself." Amanda then walked to the building and disappeared leaving him alone in the grass.

Silver Claw stood still for a while and then turned his attention towards the jungle. He caught a slight movement within the darkness and then a squealing of a procompsognathus. Whatever the predator was, he could not see it. Though, he was happy to be in the fence. He turned his back and wandered towards the building when he heard a snarling. He looked back and saw eyes staring back at him. They disappeared but a feeling of presence remained. A chill went down his spine. A feeling of sickness washed over him and he felt a flood of memories enter his mind. He shook his head and suppressed the painful thoughts before they could get hold and force the reminiscence. He made his way to the ladder on the side of the building and started to climb.

"Ellie," Amanda called out as she wandered the dingy halls, pinholes in the roof letting light enter. She stepped on a piece of broken glass on the floor. It crunched underfoot. She glanced at the wall and noticed a broken picture frame hanging unevenly. She did not bother to right it. Amanda continued to walk the halls until she noticed a door opened partially. She pushed the door and stepped into the room. Ellie was sitting on a table with a telephone in hand and a bundle of papers rolled up and stuck in her pocket.

"Damn phones don't work!" Ellie said and tossed the phone to the floor. She leaned back and looked at Amanda. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What are you talking about?" Amanda crossed her arms.

"You let that damn thing into the compound! That's what!" Ellie slipped off the table and walked by Amanda, leaving the room.

"What's your problem?" Amanda followed Ellie down the hall.

"My problem is you!" Ellie stopped abruptly and turned to face Amanda. "What really happened since you escaped the boat!"

"I told you!" Amanda felt a rush of rage but she suppressed it, though she could not help her face turning red.

"Sounds too easy to me," Ellie shook her head. "You just happened to fall off the boat and swim to shore?"

"What are you suggesting?" Amanda could no longer hold back her anger with Ellie.

"You know exactly what I'm suggesting!" Ellie said and cried out as Amanda slapped her.

"You have no idea what I've gone through!" Amanda said, tears streaking her cheeks.

"Fuck you," Ellie shouted, "I went though worse!" She leaned against the wall to keep from collapsing. "I was at sea for days! I could see this fucking island the entire time but was too weak to swim for it! I had to hold onto a beam to survive. The others with me were not so lucky!"

Amanda paled, "Others?"

"Yes, about six survived with me, floating on whatever they could get a hold of!" Ellie shuddered visible. "The sharks got them. I got to watch as they panicked as the sharks bumped them and then they scream and were dragged under leaving only a bloody mess!" Ellie leaned over and threw up a little.

"I … I didn't know," Amanda said, ashamed at herself. "I'm sorry." She looked down.

"Other survived too," Ellie said softly after a long pause, "I tried to call to them but they left in rafts. I guess they didn't hear me."

"Oh my God," Amanda said, a feeling of hope and sickness twisted in her stomach. There was a chance that they could be rescued if someone survived. Better yet, they were in rafts, easy to spot in clear weather. But if they did not have water and food, they would not last long on the open ocean. She hoped some kind of distress call got out so someone would be searching. "Which way did they go?"

"North, I think." Ellie said and slumped to the floor. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. Amanda crouched beside her. For a long while, they remained silent until Ellie spoke, "I hate you Amanda."

"I hate you too," Amanda replied knowing that Ellie meant it in a friendly manner. No matter how mad they got with each other, it could never damage their friendship, for long at least. It helped, Amanda thought, that Ellie was too tired to remain angry with her and she was too confused and frustrated to be angry with Ellie. Amanda moved to the other side of Ellie and sat down. She placed one hand on Ellie's shoulder and gently rubbed it. Ellie groaned, though if it was discomfort or something else, Amanda could not tell.

Ellie opened her eyes and looked to Amanda. "So where'd you find the cloths?"

"I guess this place had some female employees." Amanda replied, managing a smile. "I'll take you to the changing room." Amanda stood up and helped Ellie to her feet. Together they walked to the lockers.

Silver Claw wandered the structures of the roof. He looked towards the jungle and felt some relief. The presence, whatever it was, was gone. He hoped it would not come back. Whatever it was, it triggered memories he thought best buried from when he was a hatchling, the death of his mother and father and his brothers and sisters. He wondered what had caused him to remember them. Finally, he shook his head. It was not important anymore.

Another more joyous memory entered his mind as he looked towards the edge of the building overlooking the cliff. As few days previous to the attack on the nest, he and Sophia had come to the building for the second time, the first having only discovered how to open the gate one inside before being call home to hunt, or rather watch the hunt since they were not skilled enough to hunt with the pack, too young the Elders claimed even though they were nearly as large as the adults.

At last, Silver Claw found the spot he was looking for, a warm, sunlit space were the black surface of the roof gave way to loose, smooth gravel. He curled up near to a vent, through which he could hear voices, the girls' voices. He could not understand what they were saying and he did not care at the moment. Slowly, his eyes closed and at last him weary muscles could relax. He slipped in and out of sleep. Uneasiness settled on his mind and he could not help but think back to the memories. What seemed like hours passed him by as he lay until something caught his ear and he looked back towards the ladder.

Amanda climbed up first and then Ellie. When Amanda spotted him, she headed straight for him. Ellie still seemed timid about him but she too followed after a brief moment of hesitation. He noticed that Ellie was dress not too unlike Amanda, wearing a solid color of tan rather than Amanda's different colors. Silver Claw settled down and laid himself out so that he was comfortable again.

When Amanda reached him she spoke softly, "I thought we should check up on you." She stood over him, casting a shadow over his head. Silver Claw only flattened his feathers and stretched out so that his head was in the sun again, closing his eyes so that he could go to sleep again. A scraping forced his eyes open and he saw Ellie sit down a few meters from him. However Amanda sat down and rubbed his exposed side. After a moment she laid her head down on him as she had done the night before. He felt at peace for the time being and slowly drifted off into a light sleep.

**Ellie looked at** Amanda as she closed her eyes and appeared to fall asleep. She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart. It was an uneasy feeling to be so close to something with such large claws and teeth. She shifted to get more comfortable and realized she still had the papers from inside the building. She had only gotten as far as finding out that it was from 1992 when she had noticed the phone. What a depressing object it was, Ellie thought grimly. It had gotten her hopes up only to tear them away. Gingerly, Ellie leaned against the metal of a ventilation shaft and once she could sit against it without burning herself, she flipped though the laminated bundle of papers. This is what it said:

**Table of Contents** (_Incomplete_)

Dinosaurs - Herbivores

Stegosaurus Page 1

Leptoceratops Page 2

Parasaurolophus Page 3

Corythosaurus Page 4

Hadrosaurus Page 5

Anatotitan Page 6

Maiasaurus Page 7

Muttaburrasaurus Page 8

Brachiosaurus Page 9

Mamenchisaurus Page 10

Mussaurus Page 11

Triceratops Page 12

Othnielia Page 13

Microceratops Page 14

Hypsilophodon Page 15

Gallimimus Page 16

Pachycephalosaurus Page 17

Ankylosaurus Page 18

Dinosaurs - Carnivores

Ornitholestes Page 19

Baryonyx Page 20

Segisaurus Page 21

Herrerasaurus Page 22

Metriacanthosaurus Page 23

Ceratosaurus Page 24

Caudipteryx Page 25

Carnotaurus Page 26

Dilophosaurus Page 27

Compsognathus Page 28

Procompsognathus Page 29

Tyrannosaurus Rex Page 30

Spinosaurus Page 31

Velociraptor (Breed 1) Page 32

Velociraptor (Breed 2) Page 33

Velociraptor (Breed 3) Page 34

Other Species

Pteranodon Page 35

Peloneustes Page 36

Placodus Page 37

Tanystropheus Page 38

Edaphosaurus Page 39

Dsungaripterus Page 40

Ellie flipped through the pages until she found a picture that matched the creature. It was a velociraptor and it was dangerous. She swallowed and looked at Amanda and the sleeping creature. She would have to talk to Amanda in the morning. And so Ellie sat in silence, reading the pages, familiarizing herself with the different 'creatures' that she saw. It was difficult for her to believe that they were actually dinosaurs as the descriptions described. She did not know much about them but she knew enough to know they were all dead and gone.

As the hours passed by, the sun continually slipped to the horizon and the first stars began to appear. The moon rose and the sun disappeared leaving only a bright hued horizon, lit by orange, red, and yellow. Then at last, the horizon gave way to the night and the moon shone bright in the sky. Ellie noticed some creatures she now knew to be pachycephalosaurus, a dome headed herbivore with an attitude. She watched them silently. Her heart was beating quickly but she was able to settle as they moved off. Suddenly, she yawned and shifted so that she could go to sleep. She watched the lights on the fence for a few seconds and slipped into a slumber. Hopes of rescue filled her mind. Until morning, she thought as the darkness engulfed her, the sound of a helicopter seemingly in her ears.

Disclaimer: Jurassic Park is the property of its respective owners. Characters not from Jurassic Park and/or other properties are mine and are not to be used without written permission.


	6. A Change in Taste and Ways

_Jurassic Park Broken Lives_

Chapter Six: A Change in Taste and Ways

**Silver Claw crouched** in an empty hall, watching, listening, and hungering. He sniffed the air. His prey was close. He lifted his claw in anticipation. Then he saw it, the twitching nose poking out of a broken panel along the base of the floor. Shifting on his feet, Silver Claw prepared to leap. The rat crawled out of the hole, finally! Silver Claw leapt and…missed.

The rat scurried down the hall, squeaking and seeking another hole to duck into. Silver Claw leapt again and again missed but forcing the rat down another hallway leading towards the entrance to the building. Silver Claw ran to catch the rat. He lowered his head with mouth gaping. The rat changed direction again. When Silver Claw turned to follow, his feet caught only wet leaves and he fell to the ground. He recovered quickly and chased the rat out of the building. It disappeared into the grasses. He stopped at the top of the stairs as he lost sight of the movement.

Sniffing the air, Silver Claw caught only the scent of distant herbivores on the cool, damp breeze as he began to descend the stairs. The grass still, he could not tell where the rat hid. A shrill bark in the distance caused Silver Claw to look towards the jungle. Just then, the rat scampered from the grass and ran for the corner of the building where the base of the fence left a narrow gap too small for Silver Claw. He leapt and caught the rat as it squeezed into the gap. The rat shrieked. Silver Claw held the end of the tail and tried to work his way down the tail to the body. With a desperate pull, the rat pulled free, losing the end of its tail. Silver Claw snorted and then chewed the measly scrap of tough meat. The rat disappeared into a hole in the ground, leaving Silver Claw with only a visible blood trail. It was frustrating, especially if the creature died out of his reach. Unlikely, he thought. It would be his eventually.

"You're a lousy hunter," an intimidating voice said unseen from within the darkness of the jungle. "You're lucky that fence is between us or you'd be dead."

Silver Claw jumped back and scanned the jungle. "Who's there," he hissed. "What are you doing in my pack's territory?"

"Funny," the voice said, "I found only rotting flesh and bones at the nest." There was a pause and a rustling in the jungle but nothing emerged. "I'm surprised that you don't recognize my voice."

Silver Claw shook his head as he tried to find any memory of the voice. "Come out where I can see you."

"Now where would the fun in that be," replied the voice. "I can see _you_ just fine from where I am."

With another scan of the jungle, Silver Claw could not spot anything to distinguish the lurking predator from the jungle. He let out a quick bark to surprise the predator. It did not work. Aggravated, he said, "Come out you coward!"

"Such anger, such inexperience, I doubt you will last very long on your own."

"I'm not alone," Silver Claw hissed quickly, realizing just quickly that he should not have said anything.

"So another survived," there was a pause, "it makes no difference. You all will die. Call out your friend so that I may see him. I want to know what other pathetic creature escaped death."

"No," Silver Claw backed towards the stairs.

"Then I shall," the voice said and then loud barks came from the darkness. "That should attract your friend."

Silver Claw froze and his heart raced. A torrent of memories and emotions filled him. In a low voice, Silver Claw said, "you're the one who killed my mother!"

"The young one remembers," the raptor said and stepped out of the jungle. "I thought you may have forgotten, it was so very, very long ago." The green scaled, featherless velociraptor was large, larger than Silver Claw and any of the Elders. A large scar stretched over one side of his face, crossing over his neon blue eye. Fresh blood covered his jaws and he flared his nostrils. "She screamed wonderfully as she hung on the cliff, watching as I killed her hatchlings. And all the while, you were little, helpless baby hiding in a tangle of roots, too scared and too weak to help your mother until I pushed her off the cliff. Oh, how you trembled."

"I'll kill you!" Silver Claw roared, "She gave you that scar, I'll finish it Tyrannous! You're a traitor!"

"No you won't," Tyrannous replied, pleased. "You and your friend are all I have left to get my vengeance against your pack!"

"What's wrong with you?" A voice said from the entrance of the building. "Did you find something?"

Silver Claw looked to the entrance to see Amanda rubbing her eyes as she walked down the stairs. Behind her Ellie was visible for a second but disappeared back into the building. Amanda seemed oblivious to the raptor beyond the fence.

"A _human_," Tyrannous hissed angrily.

Amanda froze and she saw the other raptor. "Is this a friend of yours?"

"Such dumb creatures, humans," Tyrannous scoffed. "Why haven't you eaten it yet?"

Amanda eyed the other raptor suspiciously as her raptor remained still. "Not a friend, I take it."

Silver Claw hissed at Tyrannous, "I still have a pack, unlike you. Mine's just a different breed now."

"We will see how long it lasts," Tyrannous said. "You'll end up like your father did."

"What is that supposed to mean," Silver Claw said. Tyrannous only showed his teeth.

Just then, Silver Claw heard a noise and looked back at the building and saw Ellie walking down the stairs. She walked up to Amanda and whispered something so that neither he nor Tyrannous could hear. Something exchanged hands and Ellie moved back to the stairs, obviously distancing herself from Silver Claw, having no reason to fear the other raptor. The morning had held an unpleasant discussion between Amanda and Ellie concerning Silver Claw and a bunch of papers. Ellie had failed to convince Amanda of her point and so simply kept her distance from Silver Claw. He could see a tinge of fear lingering in her eyes.

Amanda walked until she was beside and looked at him. "This is not a friend?" Silver Claw looked at her and shook his head. "Ok then," Amanda said and looked at Tyrannous, who seemed a little confused between the communication between the two species. Amanda suddenly lifted a gun-shaped object in her hand but hesitated to fire. Tyrannous shriek and ducked, anticipating a shot. The hesitation allowed Amanda to quickly aim again as Tyrannous ducked and she pulled the trigger. A flare rocketed out of the barrel and hit Tyrannous in the right shoulder. He cried out as the small flare burned against his scales but it quickly fell off of him and landed in the soft, damp earth and sputtered out.

"You will pay for this," Tyrannous snarled and disappeared out of sight.

Silver Claw turned to Amanda and out of joy licked her face, surprising her and him. She was in tears. He stopped and looked at her. He cocked his head. Amanda wiped her eyes and walked towards the building, the flare gun dangling in her hand. He heard her mumble "I can't believe I shot that raptor." When the women disappeared into the building, Silver Claw dropped his feathers and looked back to the jungle. The joy he felt, evaporated.

**Over the next **three days, the food stores dwindled as few of the canned or packaged goods remained edible over the years. Silver Claw had to go hungry as Amanda and Ellie rationed what little they could scavenge. Silver Claw exhaled heavily as he wandered the tall grasses in front of the building. There were no detectible scents of other creatures within the fenced area. All the creatures were outside. He looked to the stairs. Ellie was hiding to one side, keeping an ever suspicious eye on Silver Claw.

Amanda walked out of the building and looked around. "Ellie, where are you?"

Suddenly, Ellie leapt up and shrieked. Amanda cried out and collapsed to the concrete with a thud. Ellie made her way up the stairs, in tears from laughing so hard. She held out a hand to Amanda but instead of getting up, Amanda pulled Ellie down. They laughed for a moment but then Silver Claw heard the conversation turn to the amount of food left. There was none.

Silver Claw's feathers dropped. They had spoken eagerly about getting rescued but they had yet to see a plane or helicopter searching for them. With the food run out, it would have to come soon or they would starve. Part of Silver Claw wished them to go back to their homes but most of him wished that rescue would not come. If it did, he would be alone, again. He knew it was selfish but loneliness with Tyrannous about was a death sentence.

A noise caught Silver Claw's attention. He turned his head and noticed movement close to the fence next to the power building. His feather raised, it could be the rat. He quickly but quietly moved close, making sure the creature was boxed in between the fence, the building and Silver Claw. Now, he hissed. The creature fled into the corner and into a dirt patch. It was a compsognathus. The creature cried out for help but Silver Claw knew no help could reach it.

With another hiss, he charged forward. The compsognathus panicked and jumped for the fence. Silver Claw stopped and watched as the compsognathus shrieked and shuddered against the fence before flying off and landing on the ground, smoky streams rising from the body and filling the air with the smell of brunt flesh. It twitched frequently but Silver Claw knew it was dead. He walked over to the corpse and picked it up once the movement stopped. He then looked back to the women.

Ellie covered her mouth and Amanda looked horrified. Silver Claw lowered his feathers and walked over to them. He was hungry but with them going hungry, he decided to try and share with them. Though by the looks, he doubted they would accept it but nonetheless he would try. He had to try.

Ellie shifted uneasily as Silver Claw walked up the stairs but she did not move from her spot. Over the past few days, Ellie had gotten less skittish around him, though only when Amanda was around. Otherwise she avoided him, eying him with a suspicion of an omega expecting trouble. He offered the corpse to Amanda first, knowing exactly how Ellie would react if he tried to give it to her first. Amanda paled and reached out a hand. She pushed his head away. He offered again but she pulled away and so did Ellie.

"I'm sorry. We can't eat that," Amanda said. She stood up and walked into the building with Ellie in tow.

Silver Claw dropped his meal to the ground and exhaled deeply. He did not want to lose anyone else.

**A week later** Amanda and Ellie sat with their arms crossed over their stomachs. They were hungry and thirsty. An occasional groan escaped them as they sat in relative silence. Silver Claw had brought them whatever he could find, eating only when they refused and sometimes not even then, hoping they would eat when not in his presence. They tried the stove in a kitchen but found it to be broken and all the fuel long escaped from the tanks. One day, Silver Claw even laid a compsognathus on the face of Amanda while she slept so that she might wake up and by accident, eat some of it. That had not gone well. He was now no longer allowed to sleep in the same room as them, as they moved to a room with a strong door that locked.

Silver Claw lowered his feathers and walked down the hallway. It was saddening to see them in such a state. They found some berries but that had not ended well for them. They could not use the little water they had to flush and so now the room was closed off, and unpleasant for Silver Claw to even walk by. None of it was healthy. Even he knew that. The water had since run out and even he was going thirsty. If it did not rain soon, they would die of thirst before starvation. Silver Claw shook his head. If it were not for Tyrannous, he could go get the things he needed. Maybe at night he could sneak out but that would be a huge risk with the other predators about.

Silver Claw was near the entrance when he saw a shadow stretching into the hall. It was of a predator. His feathers stood on end. Had Tyrannous managed to get in to the compound? He hesitated and then backed up three steps, snapping an old piece of a fallen picture frame. There was a short call and then others responded. It was not Tyrannous. It was compsognathus, a lot of them. One appeared at the end of the hallway and gave a shriek and scampered off. Silver Claw gave chase.

When he rounded the corner and stood in the lobby, Silver Claw saw a dozen of the little creatures. He gave a loud bark and they poured down the stairs and headed for the grass. He chased. He managed to catch a straggler and crushed its frail body between his jaws, then dropped it to catch another. Before he could do so, the rest of the swarm disappeared into the pipe he had worried about. They stood outside the fence and hopped up and down, chirping and squawking. They knew he could not chase them any further. Grimly, he considered blocking the pipe to prevent them from entering but that would cut off his food supply. Though, he was getting sick of eating the same thing. He gave a bark and the swarm disappeared into the jungle. He hoped they would not come back, at least not in larger numbers.

"Careful Silver Claw," a voice said from the darkness. "I would hate to see you eaten before I can kill you."

Silver Claw looked around and snarled. He walked over to the corpse, picking it up, and walked up the stairs.

"Those poor humans must be so very hungry. They're too squeamish for real food!"

Silver Claw squeezed his meal but refused to speak. He wandered down the hall. Anger well up in him. It was his fault that the humans were hungry and thirsty. He was the reason. If he were stronger…NO! It was Tyrannous. He was trying to get to Silver Claw. He tried to convince himself to stop worrying about it but he could not. It began to eat at him. He stomped his foot out of frustration and hurried down the hall. He had to find some way to make the humans eat, even if he had to force them to do it.

When Silver Claw entered the room, he found Ellie had moved to their makeshift beds, mattresses dragged from other rooms and covered in old cloths to prevent the exposed springs from sticking them as it had done to Ellie, causing her to bleed in three places. And complain for the majority of the next day about how terrible she slept. Silver Claw felt bad for Amanda that day. At least Ellie avoided him.

Amanda was sitting against the same wall as when he left. He looked at him and rolled her eyes. "You know we won't eat it so got somewhere else. I'm too hungry to deal with you." She leaned back and closed her eyes. She looked troubled.

Silver Claw was not going to take no for an answer, not today. He had tried the nice method and it got him nowhere. He walked over to Amanda and set it on her lap. Her eyes opened and then shut again. She did not even care about the blood and saliva soaking into her shorts. Silver Claw bent down and nudged it. She only shook her head. He reached down and grabbed it so that it so that the tail sat ridged out of his mouth. She did not open her eyes but eventually yawned. Silver Claw struck, shoving the tail as far into her mouth as he dared, not wishing to choke her.

Amanda instinctively tried to shut her mouth and put her arms up to push his away as she gagged on the tail tickling the back of her throat. Silver Claw grabbed her reaching arms and held them tight, forcing his claws against her skin so she would not struggle as much. He growled. Behind him Ellie scream and something struck him in the back of the head. He growled again but remained focused on Amanda.

Amanda's eyes filled with fear and tears streamed down her face. He felt nothing for her in that moment, no pity, no sorrow, and no remorse. She was going to eat, whether she liked it or not. He was the leader. It was because of him that she was alive. Now, he was saving her life again. He smelled the little amount of vomit that entered her mouth. She continued to struggle but she could not get free. She even tried to kick him but it was useless, she was too weak and too tired. The suddenly she bit down, hard. The skin parted, the muscle ripped, and the bones separated as the flesh binding them tore. Finally, Silver Claw thought and dropped the body in her lap. He did not release his grip on her.

Just then he saw she was going to try and spit it out. He could not let that happen. He lunged forward and pressed his mouth against her. Amanda turned scarlet. She froze and looked into Silver Claw's deep red eyes. Ellie audibly vomited between shouts. Silver Claw saw the fear and confusion in her eyes and then tears trickled down her face. A look of defeat and disgust was next. Then, he felt her jaw move slowly but steadily. He pulled back and watched as she reluctantly ate. Finally, Silver Claw thought and released her arms. He stepped back.

After she swallowed, Amanda said nervously, "That wasn't so bad…." She looked at Ellie hesitantly. "At least it's something." To Silver Claw's joy, Amanda reached down and grabbed the body. She paused for a minute as if contemplating something and then took a small nibble of one leg. When she swallowed it, she looked at Ellie. "You know, it kind of tastes like a cross between chicken and turkey, only really stringy and bloody."

"Bullshit," Ellie stood and walked out of the room. She wiped her mouth of vomit and face of tears.

Silver Claw's feathers dropped and he looked at Amanda. "I'll talk to her," Amanda said and then sighed. She looked at Silver Claw. "I don't think you should try what you did with her." She paused. "I don't think she'll want to be around you ever again for that." She swatted his snout and then staggered to her feet before wandering after Ellie, the corpse in hand.

For a moment, Silver Claw felt a little pride for Amanda. She wanted to survive. She would survive. Now all he had to do was teach her to hunt. If only he knew how to himself. He was still too young to learn all the tricks of the hunt and worse yet he did not pay attention when the Elders brought him along to watch. It was Sophia that was excited for it, not he. His feathers lowered. It was going to be a rough journey, for them all.

**For the next** week, Silver Claw did not eat at all. The compsognathus wandered into the compound even less since he chased them off. He had managed to catch one by surprise and so gave it to Amanda to eat. She later told him that Ellie had come around but Ellie would not admit to liking it, although Amanda thought she did except for the blood. It was a relief.

Silver Claw wandered though the grasses in front of the compound. Hunger gnawed at his guts. He was getting thin, too thin with the amount of running that he had to do to stay alive. He had hardly eaten for days before he met Amanda but since then food was even scarcer. Even the carcass he got to feed on from the pack's last kill was very little. He only got to eat after the others had their fill. It was rough being on the bottom. Sophia even ate before him.

He exhaled heavily and then a wave of dizziness overcame him. Silver Claw collapsed to the ground and passed out. When he came to, Amanda was knelt over him. She was in a panic shouting, "Wake up!" She had one hand on his side, rubbing it. Silver Claw looked at her. "Oh thank God you're alive!" Amanda had trouble calming down and Silver Claw could see some tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong with it?" Ellie asked from a distance, she seemed somewhat interested and maybe a little concerned.

"He seems a little thin." Amanda replied. She sat in the grass beside Silver Claw and rubbed his neck. "When was the last time you ate?"

Silver Claw lifted his head for a moment and stared at her and then placed his head back on the ground. "Are you able to get up?" Silver Claw nodded slowly, although he was not entirely sure he could. "Can you hunt?" He remained still.

"What are you thinking?" Ellie questioned suspiciously.

"He can't hunt and we all need food." Amanda swallowed. "I hate to say this but we need to go hunting."

"We need to do what?" Ellie paused. "It's not safe out there! You'd be killed." There was another pause as Ellie stood up and walked over to Amanda. "You don't know the first thing about hunting and neither do I. We don't even have a gun!"

"We have a flare gun." Amanda said. "We can use that and stick something sharp on the end so it doesn't roll off like it did on that raptor." She looked down at the ground and fondled a piece of grass. "We have to do this or he could die!"

"We could die Amanda!" Ellie said sternly. "It's our last flare. What if a plane or helicopter is out looking for us?"

"If they were looking for us, don't you think we would have seen them by now?" Amanda said. Her done deepening towards despair, "I don't think they're coming for us."

"Don't say that!" Ellie shrieked as tears welled up in her eyes. "We're going to get rescued any day now and then I can go back home and lay in my bed and eat something that isn't going to kill me because it is raw!"

"I'm going whether you like it or not," Amanda replied. She stood up and headed for the stairs. "You can come with me or stay here, the choice is yours." Amanda walked into the building and Ellie followed her, continuing to argue.

Silver Claw tried to stand up but he could not. He was too tired. And so Silver Claw lay in the grass, listening for the women's return and for any hint of Tyrannous. After a few minutes, Amanda emerged from the building with a coil of rope around her left shoulder and a visible bulge in her pocket. She wore an empty tan backpack with only one strap over her shoulder. She walked over to Silver Claw and knelt beside.

"I'll be alright," Amanda whispered, though Silver Claw could hear the uneasiness of which she said it. She patted his side and then walked to the gate. With a backpack over her shoulders, Ellie emerged from the building and hurried after Amanda.

As the gate shut, Silver Claw managed to stagger to his feet but could not pursue them. They disappeared into the jungle following the old road. What had he done? They were going to get themselves killed and it was his fault! He collapsed to the ground and curled into a ball. A whimper escaped him. It was his fault… Silver Claw lost consciousness.

**Amanda pulled a** hastily folded map out of her pocket. It had the topographical layout of the island and she had an idea of which compound she was in but she could not be sure. She hoped that the road heading east was the same one she was on, though it was difficult to tell. If it was the correct road, Amanda would follow the road away from the compound until it made a turn north and then she would continue straight into the jungle and down into a valley. Amanda stopped and took a deep breath and shoved the map back into her pocket.

Once she was in the valley, she would have to hope there were dinosaurs. That was a troubling thought. She would not know what dinosaurs she would come across and if she found something too big or too dangerous, she could not get it back to the raptor. She might not even get back. Amanda swallowed. Anxiety welled up inside her and she tried to suppress it. The most troubling thought was that she had to kill something. She had never killed an animal. She loved animals but she had to do it or lose a friend. It would cost them their last flare but it would be worth it, she hoped.

In the distance, the bellow of a large creature startled Ellie and she shrieked. "What the hell was that?"

"Keep your voice down Ellie! It sounded far away," Amanda tried to reassure her but a feeling in her gut made her think it was not far enough. Amanda started to walk down the road when a twig snapped off to her right. She turned and heard foliage rustling just out of sight. Her heart race and she froze. A quick glance to Ellie saw she was about to break into a run for the building at any moment.

Seconds seemed to pass as minutes as they stood still, watching, listening, and fearing the unseen. Finally, Amanda worked up the courage and reached for the flare gun before speaking. "I think it's more scared of us than we are of it." She knew it was stupid and wrong but she had to say something.

"Bullshit," Ellie whispered.

Finally, Amanda relaxed slightly. Whatever it was was not going to bother them, at least not yet. With her legs trembling, Amanda slowly shuffled along the broken chunks of road. Ellie followed her closely, so close that Amanda felt every heavy breath. It took them twenty minutes to reach the curve in the road which confirmed their location, Amanda was sure of it. The jungle ahead was not as dense but it sloped downhill steeply. A problem if she had to drag something back, Amanda thought grimly. It was a slow walk down as the ground was soft and sank in places, a greater problem if they found something heavy or had to run. At the bottom of the slope a small clear brook babbled as it fell down a small incline.

Amanda stopped at the bottom of the hill and wiped the sweat from her brow. It was hot. She looked to the sky but the thick canopy blocked a lot of the light out. However, she figured it was around noon. The air filled with buzz of insects, many of them biting as Amanda soon discovered. She swatted a mosquito on her neck but another quickly tried its luck. The air lay heavy with moisture making the heat worse. Finally, she knelt in the muddy bank and cupped her hands in the water. She splashed the water on her face. To her surprise it was much colder than she expected and she liked it.

Ellie knelt nearby and pulled some containers from her backpack. She dipped them in the water and filled them up before putting them in her backpack again. She then took off her shirt and set it on the backpack.

"What are you doing?" Amanda questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"We haven't bathed in over a week!" Ellie said. "I don't know about you but I'd rather not go around smelling like shit."

Amanda was about to say something when she felt a pressure on her foot. She looked back to see a black rock. She picked it up and realized it to be a piece of the road. She looked up the hill, nothing, and then to Ellie. "I think we should go." Ellie only nodded and slipped into her shirt.

They wandered in a straight line, or at least as straight as could be given the amount of ferns and other larger foliage. Five minutes passed and Amanda could not shake a feeling of being watched. It unnerved her and made her wish to turn around to get back to the compound as fast as her legs would carry her. Then in the distance, a trumpeting rang though the jungle. Other strange calls soon followed. Amanda noticed a break in the trees ahead and quickened her pace. When she broke the tree line, the light blinded her for a moment.

As Amanda's eyes focused, she could see that she stood on the edge of a large plain. Countless numbers of dinosaurs wandered the short grasses. To the south two brachiosaurs grazed on the leaves of tall trees, a herd of stegosaurs wandered northward as several othnielia, a small bipedal herbivore with a small head and blotchy green skin, darted among them, feeding on the crushed vegetation from each footfall. Directly across the plain were a herd of parasaurolophus and approaching the tree line was a herd of gallimimus. Amanda and Ellie ducked behind a clump of bushes.

"God, they're big!" Ellie exclaimed. "I thought this was a bad idea, now I think it is just plain stupid."

"I know," Amanda pulled the flare gun from her pocket and looked it over. It looked a lot like a pistol but could only hold one flare in the barrel at a time. Amanda opened and then removed the flare, checking to see that the broken knife she hastily stuck to the end with tape and glue was holding. It was. Though she doubted it would fly straight for any length of time. It would have to be fired at close range. She looked up. Hopefully the gallimimus would come close enough for that. She really hoped that the flare still worked since it was not protected by the gun over the years. It would have to for the raptor's sake.

The herd was close. A gallimimus just the right size was close and getting closer. It looked like it would walk right up to them. Amanda swallowed and raised the flare gun. The gallimimus was close when it stopped suddenly and sniffed the air. Damn it, Amanda thought, it could smell them. The creature looked uneasy and shifted its feet. Amanda could not wait and prepared to fire. Under her breath, she whispered, "I'm sorry."

A low drone in the air stopped her. It was an engine, a plane's engine! Amanda's eyes widened. The gallimimus looked away, presenting its neck as the perfect target. Conflict raged though her like wildfire. She could aim into the air and hope the pilot would see it and they could be rescued but the raptor would likely die. The first chance for rescue was near, so very near. And yet, Amanda felt guilt about the raptor, why? It had saved her but it was an animal. Just an animal, and yet it understood her and saved her life. Now she had to chance to repay that debt.

Amanda looked at Ellie looked at her with utter disbelief. A tear rolled down Amanda's face and she looked out over the plain and saw the distinctive black shape on the horizon. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Amanda closed her eyes and fired.

Disclaimer: Jurassic Park is the property of its respective owners. Characters not from Jurassic Park and/or other properties are mine and are not to be used without written permission.


	7. A Life Saved

_Jurassic Park Broken Lives_

Chapter Seven: A Life Saved

**Blazing in a** magnificent glow, the flare rocketed out of the gun. It found a target. The young gallimimus leapt into the air as the flare stuck its neck, missing the esophagus but tearing outward and cut off the blood supply to its brain. The creature managed four steps before it collapsed in a spastic fit as blood gushed from its neck. It made a pitiful and heart wrenching cry for help but the herd was already running. They would not try to protect it.

Amanda wept as she said, "I'm sorry Ellie. I…" Pain erupted from Amanda's left cheek and she hit the ground hard. Amanda looked up in time to see Ellie's fist slam down on her and strike her in the side of the head, causing her to see stars.

"You fucking bitch!" Ellie screamed at the top of her lungs as she swung again. "I could have been rescued!" She swung again and this time Amanda almost lost consciousness. "I fucking hate you!" Ellie swung one more time and stood up. Crying, she spit on Amanda and ran into the jungle.

For a long while, Amanda lay on the ground, her head spinning and tears rolling down her swelling face. She managed to roll over and eventually sit up. The jungle was still. Ellie had left her. What had she done? Had she been selfish? No. She was trying to save the life of a friend but then again, he was an animal. What had she done? Oh God, what had she done? She had family left, not everyone could make it to her birthday. She still had a home to go back to and Ellie still had her family, her mother and her father. What had she done?

Amanda staggered to her feet only to fall down again. She sat dazed. The world spun again her and she felt sick to her stomach. A tentative hand reached up to her face and she felt the painful rises in her skin. What had she done? Amanda looked out at the plain and saw that the herds were moving on. The predators would surely come soon. She had to get moving. And so, Amanda crawled over to the carcass and came to rest beside it. Her breaths came in heavy gasps as pain throbbed from her face.

More tears welled up as she looked at the lightless, cold eyes of the gallimimus. It was dead because of her, and so were the prospects of going home. She gazed at the wound. The blood slowly oozed out, with a sudden spurt every now and again, and stained the green grasses. It was her first kill and she felt miserable about it. Slowly, Amanda pulled the rope from her shoulder and began to tie it around the legs of the creature. She would be able to pull it up the hill and to the compound. She had to do it quickly before she was found by a predator.

A rustling caught her attention as Amanda finished tying the legs. She looked back. "Ellie, is that you?"

A low rumbling growl replied. Amanda's eyes widened. The green velociraptor stepped from the bushes, his teeth showing and his claws ready. Amanda tried to get up to run but the raptor leapt and pinned her to the ground. She felt the sharp end of the killing claw pierce her shirt and prick her skin. She looked down at the claw to see the flare gun wedge between her and certain death. The raptor noticed too and racked his claw back, cutting Amanda a little and tearing her shirt down the middle. She tried to grab the flare gun before it was tossed but was too slow. It slid out of reach.

The raptor looked down at Amanda and hissed cynically. He placed his foot on Amanda's exposed chest and Amanda grabbed the killing claw in a desperate effort to keep it from slashing her. With a snarl, the raptor tried to bring down the claw for the kill. Amanda screamed as the claw slowly stabbed her in the chest. She tried forcing the claw up but when she could not, she twisted it sideways. With a howl, the green raptor lifted his foot and stomped on Amanda's chest before bringing his head down to her face. Amanda's eyes widened. She was going to die!

Suddenly, something slammed into the green raptor's head. It howled and landed on the ground and then stopped moving. Amanda looked to see Ellie with her backpack in hand. She panted and tears rolled down her face. She did not look at Amanda as she walked over and hit the raptor again in the head and dropped the pack on its head, the containers broken. It remained still. For a brief moment, Ellie turned to Amanda.

Amanda could see the pain and the hurt in Ellie's eyes. However, she could not bring herself to say anything. It was probably for the best. Amanda grabbed the ropes and started to drag the gallimimus towards home. Ellie walked a few meters ahead of Amanda. It was a slow and silent journey. Amanda wanted to say something but nothing she could think of would help. It would only hurt.

How could she have been so selfish? When they were rescued, Amanda could have had food left for the raptor, maybe even bringing it with them. That was unlikely, she thought but she could have tried. She wanted to pretend that she never saw the plane happened but in her mind, Ellie's words forced their way in as hard as her punches. Amanda cringed as pain throbbed from her swollen cheek. She was going to have a black eye, she thought.

At last, they reached the stream. Ellie hopped over and started up the hill. Amanda had to slosh through the cool waters as she dragged the carcass though the mud. The climb was going to be hell. The biting insects swarmed to her and flies gathered in the air, drawn to the kill. Amanda swatted desperately but more came. The bites started to happen on her face and she nearly collapsed several times as she instinctively swatted the swollen skin. What took only a few minutes to get down, took Amanda twenty to get back up.

As Amanda reached the top of the hill, she had to stop to catch her breath. Her breaths came in quick but heavy gasps. Her skin burned and itched. Sweat covered her body. The humidity would be the death of her, she thought grimly, that or some unseen dinosaur drawn to the smell of blood. For a moment, she looked up to Ellie, who tapped her foot impatiently.

"Hurry up," Ellie said, glaring with eyes like piercing daggers. "I don't want to get eaten!" She crossed her arms and stared at Amanda as she impatiently kicked a chunk of road and sent it rolling down the hill.

"I'm sorry," Amanda said as she finally regained her breath, at least enough to talk. Her legs ached and burned and wanted her to lie down and rest for a long while.

A flash of rage crossed Ellie's face. "You're sorry!" She turned away from Amanda but could not hide to sobs. "You're sorry won't get me home! You're sorry won't get me off this fucking island!" She started to walk down the road. "You're sorry! Fuck you! I should have let that fucking thing eat you!" A visible shudder ran down her whole body and she ran out of sight.

Amanda's heart sank and she dropped to her knees. Tears poured down her face. "Ellie, come back!" Amanda cried out but no response came. A deep feeling of loneliness overwhelmed Amanda and she stood up quickly. Paranoia struck fear in her heart. Ellie was not coming back this time. This time she was alone. Every sound made her increasingly nervous of her surroundings. At last, Amanda raced down the road, dragging the carcass across the broken chunks of road. She did not slow until the fence was in sight.

**Silver Claw's eyes** shot open. He heard something approaching the gate. His head rose from behind the base of a broken window in the lobby. He saw Amanda! Joy filled his heart and pride soon followed as he saw the young gallimimus dragging behind her. But all that was stripped as he realized Ellie was not with her and his heart dropped when he saw the wounds to her face and body. What happened? Amanda closed and locked the gate behind her.

"Ellie," Amanda cried out as she turned to face the building.

Silver Claw stood and made his way down the stairs. He woke shortly after losing consciousness and managed to get into the building to rest long enough to regain some of his strength. He was still a little tipsy but at least he could walk. He saw pain in Amanda's eyes as she looked at him but also relief. She dragged the meal so that it was away from the gate but not too close to the building before untying the rope. Amanda quickly dropped to the ground and let out a heavy sigh before dropping onto her back and staring mindlessly at the blue sky above.

"Ellie's in the building, isn't she?" Amanda said sorrowfully.

Standing over her, he shook his head as he examined her wounds. As tempting as the food was, he had to make sure Amanda was alright and find out what happened. The swollen skin on her check held a tinted, unnatural color of green and purple, almost black in several spots. Some discoloration marked a crescent shape formed around the corner of her eye. Lower, Silver Claw saw blood encrusted along a narrow scrap running mid chest to the bottom of her ribs. It looked as if something clawed her but he could not be sure until he heard her tell him what happened. He wished she could speak to him. Soon a yellowing between her partially exposed breasts became apparent to him and he saw torn ends of the bra and realized the shirt was ripped open not torn by accident.

"Where's Ellie then?" Amanda sat up, looking around the compound. She looked to the roof and then to Silver Claw. "Is she on the roof?" Silver Claw shook his head. "The power shed?" The same response came. Tears leaked from her eyes. "Oh God," she said, "Oh God, she still out there!"

With a slight cock of his head, she seemed to notice his confusion. Silver Claw stepped back as Amanda stood up and made her way to the gate and looked into the jungle beyond. There was movement a ways down the road. Silver Claw noticed it and his feathers stood on end. Suddenly a pack of bipedal carnivores leapt out from the foliage. It was a pack of segisaurus following the blood trail left by Amanda dragging the carcass. One of the creatures bent down and grabbed a piece of ragged flesh from the road and ate it before another could snap it away.

"It's my fault Ellie's out there!" Sobbing, Amanda looked at Silver Claw. "I ruined our chances of getting rescued."

Silver Claw's feathers dropped. What had she done?

**Ellie's heart raced**. She could hear a creature moving in the foliage just ahead of her and she was now trapped in a thorny shrub, unable to move for fear of making noise. She had run into the jungle to get away from Amanda and reach the building, only to get turned around and lost. Lost in the Godforsaken hell hole that was this jungle! The deep breath of the hidden creature did not elude her. It was close. She held her breath as the first sign of life emerged into sight. She nearly gasped as the green raptor emerged from the foliage. It had her backpack in its mouth!

The creature's nostrils flared, taking in the air. It was searching for something. Ellie feared that it was her. It could not see her at least and the shrub had some smell to it. The creature suddenly sneezed and a thick flow of mucus and blood came from its snout. Ellie wanted to gag but held back. She realized that she had hit the snout the second time rather than around its eyes. It was only unconscious when she hit it the first time, that mistake could come back to kill her. Ellie thought grimly about the things the angry creature could do to her if it caught her. A tremor ran down her spine as the piercing blue eyes swept over where she was hiding. The gaze moved on but sweat started to leak from her pours and the biting insects were gathering. She doubted she could last much longer without moving. Then suddenly, the raptor moved on and disappeared out of sight but not mind. She worked up the courage to move just enough to get more comfortable and get the insects off her momentarily.

After enough time passed, Ellie crept out of the bush and looked around as she stretched her stiff limbs. Wearily, she thought about following the raptor. It was probably heading towards the compound but it she was wrong or it suspected her, it would be the death of her. She decided against it. The raptor probably would hear her coming she figured and so started walking in the opposite direction.

**Silver Claw looked** at Amanda, his feathers flat. She had her face in her hands but he could still see the tears dripping to the stairs. He could do nothing to comfort her, nothing to speak to her. He was useless and that was the worst feeling. Amanda told him the whole story when she figured out what his prodding her was about. He knew Tyrannous would attack them but now, he hoped at least, he was dead like Amanda believed. Either way, they could not go out and search for Ellie. Amanda was exhausted and Silver Claw too weak to run if something attacked them. For now at least, Ellie would have to find her own way home.

Amanda finally took her hands away from face and leaned against Silver Claw. She still wept quietly. Silver Claw turned his head and nuzzled her shoulder, not wishing to cause her pain by touching her face or the thin cut on her chest. He worried that her injuries might become infected. That was always a possibility, but one he hoped remote.

"Did I do the right thing?" Amanda looked doubtfully into his eyes. "I may have just taken away our last chance of returning home."

Silver Claw did not respond. He did not know if it was the right decision. Sure he would not go hungry for a while but the girls may never return home. The appearance of Tyrannous however made him feel that she did, regardless. If both were in the field, Tyrannous would surely have killed them both and not been caught off guard by Ellie. Silver Claw knew he would have starved to death before leaving the compound and letting Tyrannous kill him. But there was still the chance they could have fought off Tyrannous and been rescued. "I don't know," Silver Claw murmured to himself.

"Is that a yet or a no?" Amanda questioned. Silver Claw only dropped his head so that his jaw hung partially off the top of the stairs. "Not going to answer?" Amanda sat up and looked off into some unseen distance, contemplating something.

Silver Claw heard a rustling in the jungle and perked his head up. Amanda did not notice. He looked around until he saw movement. It was near the road. He stood up to get a better view. Amanda took notice too and started to walk down the stairs when a backpack flew out of the foliage and landed with a wet thud on the ground. She stopped and took a step back. Silver Claw saw Tyrannous poke his head out, blood encrusted around his snout.

"When I find her," Tyrannous snarled, "She's dead!" He disappeared back out of sight and did not mask the sound of his running.

Amanda looked at him, "What did he say?" She paused for a moment, "Is Ellie dead?"

Silver Claw shook his head. Tyrannous would have bragged if he killed her, Ellie might be alive. Silver Claw dropped back to the concrete. He could do nothing to help Ellie. She was truly on her own. Amanda approached him and sat down. She looked as if she were torn about leaving the safety of the compound to find Ellie or simply waiting. Eventually, it appeared to Silver Claw that she would wait and hope. Silver Claw started to nod off when Amanda touched his side.

"I don't know if it is even possible but I want you to try and teach me how to understand you." Silver Claw looked at her. She was serious. He could not help but show his teeth but quickly realized he did not know where or how to begin.

**Ellie stumbled into** a glade and wanted to puke. The sickly sweet stench of decay permeated the air. All around her, bones lay scattered and marked by teeth. Few had pale white flesh still attached but it moved as if alive. Ellie realized it was alive, with maggots. She puked and then staggered as she felt light headed, only just catching herself as she started to fall over. She had to rest.

A swarm of flies buzzed around her suddenly. She looked up and saw what she thought to be a rope at first but quickly realized it was the dried entrails of a creature. She needed to get out of here and fast! Ellie staggered away from the tree, getting lighter headed as she went. She nearly tripped on what she thought was a nest from the white specks of egg shells. As he passed into the jungle on the other side, she hoped whatever lived in the glade would not find her.

It was a few minutes before she was able to get far enough to clear her head of the smell. When she looked up at the sky, she realized that the sun was setting. The first stars were peering out of the dark blue gloom high above. She was going to be in the jungle, alone, and at night. Her heart beat quickened. She could not stay on the ground but the trees around her were too hard to climb. She had to keep wandering. It was not long before she was in complete darkness.

**Pride filled Silver Claw** as he looked at Amanda. She was able to say three words, hello, goodbye, and friend. Well at least, the sounds were close enough to the actual words that he could discern what she meant to say. He was surprised she could make some of the sounds at all because the human's speech was so different from his own. But yet, she managed. He hoped she would learn more quickly as she learned more words and got used to the way they were sounded. As he looked to the sky and at the stars, he hoped more that Ellie would return, alive.

**Ellie groped in **the darkness, seeking any way to get a hold of the tree. She found it. A tangle of vines wound their way up and towards the high branches of the tree. She started to climb and none too soon. A short distance away, she heard numerous footsteps approaching. Ellie was just out of reach when a pack of small but ferocious carnivores came into sight and leapt for her feet. They missed but only just. She scrambled onto the closest branch and looked down.

The glare of shining eyes stared back at her. There were at least six of the creatures, if not more out of sight. Ellie panted. She did not want to climb any more but she forced herself higher. It was not until she reached a bowl formed by several large branches did she stop. She looked down and saw the creatures remained but they began hissing and snarling at her. It was unnerving.

"I just want to go home," Ellie wept as she leaned back, getting as comfortable as she could. It was going to be a long, long night. She could have been in a soft bed right now but no, Amanda had to fuck up their rescue and for what, a stupid animal that happened to save her a few times. A pat on the head should have been enough. But no, she had to make sure it was fed too! A tremor of rage ran down her spin. She almost wished she had not turned around when she heard the attack, almost. A part of her had sympathy for Amanda. But that part was very small at the moment.

A sound caught Ellie's attention and she looked over the edge of the tree to see the creatures trying to climb. So far they could not get very far but if they somehow managed to reach the first branch, she was in trouble. Fortunately, it looked as if they would not be able to get any higher. Ellie leaned back and relaxed. Despite trying to stay awake, her eyes closed and she drifted into an uneasy slumber.

**Silver Claw yawned** silently as he stared out at the black jungle. The stars shone bright in the sky above but clouds were moving in and soon would block out the sky casting the jungle into a true darkness. A storm was brewing on the horizon. He doubted the rain would start during the night but come early to mid morning the next day. However, the rain would cover the island when it came. Silver Claw hoped Ellie was safe despite what she did to Amanda and despite her disliking of him. He rested his head on a vent coming out of the roof so that he could keep an eye on the gate as long as he was awake.

Amanda was asleep at his side. She had finally cried herself to sleep, unable to stay awake any longer, hoping that Ellie would return and everything would be alright. He realized after a while that her trying to learn his language was to distract her from her pains. He did not blame her. After she had enough, she spoke about things he knew nothing about but he listened and waited. From what Silver Claw gathered, he wondered if Ellie could forgive Amanda after what happened. They were friends since childhood, since they met in kindergarten, and nothing this serious ever occurred between them.

Slowly, his thoughts turn back to his own family. The events of the day that took them from him replayed in his mind, over and over. He wondered if anything he saw may have caused it. The spinosaurus never came to the area where the nest was, why it did this time was a mystery. The pack kept the nests clean enough that it would not have attracted the predator. Maybe the spinosaurus was expanding its territory? No, it always had a certain area to the west of the cliffs and some to the south but it never usually ventured into the packs territory. Something must have happened to cause it to seek out other predators. He yawned and then in the darkness he saw an eye shine, Tyrannous. Maybe…

**Ellie startled out **of her sleep as a loud noise came from the jungle to her right. Her eyes opened and she looked around. Then she saw it, the spinosaurus. It let out a loud roar as it moved noisily through the trees. Ellie swallowed and pressed herself against the tree as hard as she could. She could only see the sail but that was more than enough. And now she was stuck in the tree, if it spotted her that was it. She was done for, no escape. A reply came to the roar. She looked to her left. There was another one.

Fear welled up in Ellie's chest. She was trapped between the two monsters. The leaves of the trees rattled as the two behemoths turned towards one another. The long crocodilian snouts came into sight. She hoped they would kill each other. Every breath resonated in Ellie's ears. Their breathing increased and she saw each begin to size up one another. She prayed they would fight. Their snouts touched and suddenly Ellie realized it was not a fight they wanted.

The female stood slightly taller than the male, the male being the one that attacked the boat, the one she recognized. The female was duller in color than the male, but not by much. Each bore scars around their snout, neck, and tail but the female had the more visible marks. The giant sail was the most distinct on each. The female had shades of blues and the male had shades of red mixed into the blues.

Ellie had to get out of the tree. The longer she stayed, the more likely they would find her. She waited until both were too involved with the other to notice much else and then started to climb down. Her heart leapt every time a branch snapped or she slipped and nearly fell out of the tree. But at last, she reached the bottom and started running as quietly as she could but with the sounds the beasts started making, she doubted anything would hear her.

It was several minutes before Ellie had to stop and she dropped to the ground, gasping for air. Her legs burned as if on fire and her lungs and throat begged for moisture. She swallowed but her mouth was dry. The air was cool, cooler than she thought it could be in the jungle, a welcome relief but not enough to ease her pains. In the distance, she heard a crackle of thunder. A storm was coming. The sound of gurgling caught her ear as her attention turn to the sounds around her. It was a stream! Crawling, Ellie made her way towards the sound.

She nearly fell in when she found it. Quickly, Ellie cupped her hands and took in as much as she could before dropping her legs into the icy water. Her body relaxed and she dropped back, lying on the muddy bank. A sigh of relief escaped her cracked lips as they curved into a smile. She could die happy now. The irony lost on her for only a few seconds. And for a long two minutes, she did not move, only relaxing and nearly falling asleep at times.

A flash lit up the canopy and a few seconds later, she startled into a sitting posture as the thunder rattled her out of her thoughts. She decided to start moving before the rain fell. Getting up was hard, her legs ached and stomach growled. She quickly took one more drink and crossed the stream. She startled to find a hill, unnoticed by her even when the area lit with the lightning flash. She wondered if it was the same hill and stream. Either way, she decided had to climb it.

Another flash lit up the jungle and illuminated a road as she reached the top of the hill. It was! Ellie quickened her pace, following the road until it turned towards the compound. She could see a faint light from the fence. She was almost safe. Suddenly she stopped. The green raptor could be lurking about and waiting to ambush her. So close to safety and so close to death, her heart ached for her to make a run for it. But she did not. Instead, Ellie slipped out of her shoes and started to walk off to one side of the road, hiding herself in the jungle. She cringed at the feel of damp leaves, moss and other unknown substances pushing up between her toes.

Paranoia set in as every shadow seemed ready to pounce on her and tear into her flesh. When the lightning flashed, she froze, eyeing the jungle for movement. When the darkness consumed her again, she would move. At last, she was close, so very close to the gate. She could almost taste the electricity in the air. But yet, she stood still. Something was wrong, very wrong.

Ellie felt eyes on her but could not place it. There was no sound, no movement, and no light looking back at her from the darkness. A flash lit up the jungle as she glanced back and she gasped. The green raptor was stalking her! She saw him and he saw her. A snarl escaped his curling lips. Ellie ran.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she raced for the gate. Ellie burst out of the jungle and followed the road, pain shot from her foot as she stepped on a branch wedged in the crumbled path. Behind her, the raptor emerged at full speed but slowed as it picked its path more carefully than Ellie. She hit the gate and reached for the release on the lock. She looked back as her hand desperately felt for the release. The raptor was less than fifteen meters away! She found it!

Ellie pushed open the gate and then slammed it behind her. The green raptor stopped less than a meter from her and snarled. She locked the gate. In his eyes she saw a cold blooded hatred for her but yet a tinge of something she thought to be respect. The raptor lingered for a moment and then dissolved back into the jungle. The feeling of eyes still upon her, Ellie turned and walked into the building, passing Amanda and the raptor, asleep in the lobby. Not bothering to wake them, she made her way down the halls until she found her room. She locked the door behind her and then dropped onto the pile of old cloths. Rolling onto her back, Ellie looked at the ceiling and sighed. She was alive and felt more alive than ever before. As she lay in bed, staring at the roof, contemplating her escape as she was too excited to sleep, Ellie hoped that soon rescue would come for her. As hours passed and the dawn's light began to creep onto the horizon, her eyes closed and she fell into a deep, uneventful sleep.

Disclaimer: Jurassic Park is the property of its respective owners. Characters not from Jurassic Park and/or other properties are mine and are not to be used without written permission.


	8. Creature in the Fog

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 8: Creature in the Fog

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author Note: I am having Amanda and Ellie learn the raptor language faster then I should. If anyone has a problem with this, I would like to know. In addition, if you have any story ideas or suggestions for improvement in writing, I would like to hear them. (Please post any suggestions, problems, or ideas with reviews.)

A heavy fog lay over Isla Sorna, a light sea breeze caused the grass to sway, and the sweet scent of blossoming flowers filled the air. Dew covered the leaves of trees, the unearthly calls of the apatosaurus and the thunderous bellows of the muttaburrasaurus sounded through the valleys like echoes in a cave, and animals were as ghosts as they move through the fog.

Silver Claw stood on the stairs leading to the entrance of the Ingen Observation Center. Slowly he walked down to the grass and towards the gate, being sure not to trip over the bones of the gallimimus. For several days now, Amanda and Ellie have shared the carcass with Silver Claw, although the girls kept their pieces in a slightly damaged refrigerator. Finally, Silver Claw, gazing at the jungle, stood at the gate. He missed the thrill of the hunt… the reward of a fresh meal at the end… but that was all going to end today. He has a new pack and they are slowly learning how to speak his language, Ellie had the most difficulty however. Silver Claw smile when he saw Amanda and Ellie walking down the steps towards him.

"Hello," Ellie growled and then coughed a bit.

"Hello Ellie. Hello Amanda." Silver Claw replied.

"I see we're out of food," Amanda said, though not in raptor. "Do you think we should go hunting?"

"Yes" Silver Claw replied.

"At least we will have our velociraptor friend with us this time." Ellie yawned. "You won't have to kill anything this time."

"Well if I don't have to kill something I'll be fine because I still feel bad about the poor gallimimus." Amanda sighed.

Silver Claw rolled his eyes and looked into the fog to see a ghostly shape quickly dash across an open space in the tree line. He let out a hiss then frantically searched the trees but could not find the figure again.

Amanda noticed something in the fog near the shed but outside the fence. "Over there, I saw something."

Silver Claw stared at the area near the shed but saw nothing. Suddenly Ellie and Amanda screamed as a rain of sparks showered down over them. A loud scream, though not from a human, sounded after a loud thud.

"The fence is on!" A familiar voice hissed. "Silver Claw you coward!"

"Tyrannous!" Silver Claw hissed back. "Didn't you learn from your first experience here?"

"I know that they are out of that weapon that injured me."

"How would you know that?"

"The day they left to get food, I followed them, although I was still injured enough to know not to attack I could still walk." Tyrannous hissed. "They also had some kind of other things that were possible threats to me so I stayed away."

"How dare you!" Silver Claw snarled. "Your feud is with me not them. You…"

"Oh I disagree, she injured me." Tyrannous snarled back as he slowly disappeared back into the fog and was gone. "I'm always watching."

"Coward!" Silver Claw shouted but achieved no response.

"Is he gone?" Ellie asked shaken.

Silver Claw shook his head. "No."

"I guess we're not going anywhere today…" Amanda sighed, "Maybe there is something in the grass."

"No," Silver Claw sighed the walked over to the small opening leading into the compound. He gestured for the girls to follow him. Soon they could see the fallen tree and that it blocked the opening for drainage pipe.

The next day Amanda, Ellie, and Silver Claw quickly made their way to the gate. Amanda was about to push the button to open when a rustle in the bushes stopped her.

"I see you…" a voice joke. "No food for you today."

Silver Claw snarled and slowly backed away from the fence and walked back toward the building. Amanda and Ellie soon followed.

"I'm getting sick of that raptor." Amanda said in human. "He is really getting on my nerves."

"Yeah, I know…" Ellie said and turned to see the raptor's head poking out of a bush. Ellie made a loud angry hiss at the raptor, causing every one to look at her in shock.

Amanda laughed, "Yeah that'll show him. Being hissed at by a human might be a real insult."

Silver Claw chuckled a bit but continued walking. Suddenly he heard a slight rustling and pounced. A loud shriek sounded then came to an abrupt end. Soon he proudly held up an adult microceratops and gave it Amanda.

"Thank you." Amanda growled. She looked at the raptor that still hid in the bushes and stuck he tongue out. "How did this get in though?"

"You taught them our language!" Tyrannous hissed before anyone could answer.

"It speaks…" Silver Claw laughed, "Yeah I did so what."

There was no response. A soft rustle came from the jungle that slowly got quieter and soon stopped.

"Is he gone?" Ellie asked.

"Yes," Silver Claw said. Finally, they might have some peace he thought.

"Here Ellie," Amanda said and handed Ellie the tiny dinosaur.

Soon Ellie and Amanda sat on the steps and began to eat, blood dripped down over their clothing. "I wish we had some way to cook this," Ellie sighed.

"Yeah… it's too bad that the stove uses gas," Amanda sighed.

"And we don't know the how to start a fire," Ellie added.

"If there were matches or something like that we could…" Amanda said.

"There aren't any here, we checked after the first time our raptor friend offered us food. Remember," Ellie said.

"Yeah I know," Amanda softly said, "Well I'm done."

Silver Claw smiled slightly when Amanda finished and gave him the stuff she and Ellie could not or would not eat. "Thank you."

Soon the three continued onward into the building. Finally, the three reached the room that they have been staying in and Silver Claw walked over to his bed, made up of branches, mud, and leaves that he had brought in a few days after the girls decided on this room to stay in. Soon Silver Claw lied down in his nest and was asleep. Meanwhile Amanda and Ellie looked around on the computers.

"I wonder what else these computers can do," Ellie said, "So far all we've found are those videos."

"Yeah, it is nice though to watch the herbivores in the fields."

"It was up until the spinosaurus started wandering around the island more."

"Hey I think I found something!" Amanda said excitedly.

"What?" Ellie questioned as she turned her attention to Amanda's computer.

"Solitaire," smiled Amanda.

Ellie laughed a bit when Amanda lost the game in a few seconds. "Where is it?"

Several hours later Silver Claw awoke to find Amanda and Ellie still on the computers. Slowly and quietly, he stood up and walked to Amanda and Ellie, who were still unaware her was awake. Suddenly he let out an earsplitting shriek not far from the girls. Amanda screamed and turned to face him, Ellie on the other hand fell out of her chair and onto the floor. Silver Claw bust into laughter though it only sounded like a series of repeating chirps. Soon he tried to help Ellie up but received a hard slap across the face. Ellie quickly stood up and walked out of the room. Silver Claw sighed.

"It's alright, remember that she did it to me before." Amanda said softly and placed her hand on his head. Gently she pet Silver Claw's head and he began to purr softly. "You were just having a little fun."

"Thank you," Silver Claw purred and rested his head on her lap.

Ellie cursed under her breath. Rage filled her entire body. Right now, she hated even the thought of that raptor. Ellie quickly walked through the halls and outside. She rounded the corner of the building and began to climb the stairs.

Before long, she stood at the edge of the building that overhung the cliff. Before her, an immense jungle bathed in the golden light of dusk. Beyond, the ocean was alive in a fiery glow. The sky, shades of red, orange and blue.

A light breeze carried a soft mixture of salt water and flowers. Her hair gently moved in the air. Slowly Ellie sat down in front of a nearby panel. The warmth helped her relax, her muscles loosened and she began to calm down. "Why is this happening to me? That stupid raptor is the reason I'm stuck here and Amanda…" Ellie said to herself and soon began to cry, "I want to go home…"

Ellie felt the rage build in her again. This is all Amanda's fault, if not for her and that stupid animal; I would be home by now. I will never get another chance to get off this island again. Ellie brought her knees up to her chest and sobbed even more.

Nearby Tyrannous looked on. He smiled at this change. "So they're not as close as I though they were… excellent." He quietly said to himself. He watched Ellie cry for several more minutes and quickly disappeared when he saw Silver Claw appear at the other side of the building. Maybe I could get help in ending Silver Claw's life…


	9. The Hunt

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 9: The Hunt

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Amanda slowly stretched as she sat up and moved the hair out of her eyes. Amanda looked to see Ellie and the raptor still asleep so slowly left the room, being sure not to wake them. Unhurriedly Amanda made her way to the main entrance and within several minutes, she stood at the top of the water-covered stairs. Cautiously she stepped onto the first step then another until she was only a few steps from the bottom. Suddenly she lost her balance and crashed into the dirt at the base of the stairs. Amanda moaned as she sat up and brushed the dirt off her face.

Suddenly a laugh came from the outside of the compound and soon a large male raptor walked out of the bushes. "Hello Amanda."

"Go away!" Amanda shouted at the raptor. "Why must you continue to torment us?"

"You injured me." Tyrannous hissed then calmly added. "Come here."

"Why should I?" Amanda said and crossed her arms while still on the ground.

"Come here." Tyrannous said again.

"What do you want?" Amanda growled.

Tyrannous walked up to the fence and stared at her until she finally came over. They stared at each other for a moment before Tyrannous said, "I wanted to show you something."

"You lost me after 'you'." Amanda said. "I know some words but not that many…yet."

Slowly tyrannous reached for the fence with left hand.

"What are you doing?" Amanda hissed.

Suddenly Tyrannous placed his hand on the fence. He stood in front of her and smirked. Slowly he looked to see a palm tree that had fallen in the storm the day before.

Amanda stepped back. "Oh…crap."

"Bye now." Tyrannous said before running into the jungle that was dark in the morning light and in a moment, he was gone.

Amanda just stared at the jungle for several minutes. Suddenly she felt a scaly hand rest on her shoulder. Amanda screamed and spun around to see Silver Claw staring at her in shock. "Sorry I thought you were that other raptor…" Amanda said when she calmed down. "The fence is broken." Amanda placed her hand on the fence to show him.

"What?" Silver Claw asked.

"I had a little chat with the green raptor." Amanda said before adding, "He showed me that the fence was off before running away."

Silver Claw made a low growling sound in anger of Tyrannous being near his new home again.

"He gone now… or at least I think he is."

"No," Silver Claw growled.

"Do you think we might… have to… find a new home?" Amanda said in a low sad tone.

"Maybe…"

"Your screaming woke me up Amanda." Ellie said as she walked up.

"Sorry about that…" Amanda said softly, "We might have to move…"

"What? Why?" Ellie almost shouted in horror of leaving the safety of the compound.

Amanda touched the fence and pointed to the tree on the fence. "The green raptor knows there is no power, he showed me."

"Where will we go?" Ellie asked.

"There are several other buildings and maintenance sheds on this island." Amanda replied. "Maybe we should discus this near the building so green raptor can't hear us…"

"You're not safe anywhere on this island." Tyrannous said and walked up to the fence. "Hello Ellie," he smiled, "still mad are we?"

Ellie looked away from him. "Go away, you're not wanted here."

Tyrannous quickly turn his attention to Silver Claw. "Hello Silver Claw," Tyrannous grinned. "It just burns right now doesn't it, to see me here and you're able to do nothing to me because you're still too young to pose any real threat to me."

"No, because I'm not the one you should be worried about." Silver Claw smiled as he quickly backed away from the fence alongside Amanda and Ellie.

Tyrannous stared at them awkwardly for a moment and sniffed the air then suddenly his eyes widened. Slowly he turned around and looked up.

Towering above Tyrannous stood an adult metriacanthosaurus, about eight meters long, with dagger like teeth, scarred face, ridged snout, and jet black hide. Drool dripped from its open jaws as it stared at Tyrannous, a huge red eye fixated on him. Suddenly the metriacanthosaurus lunged forward and Tyrannous just managed to move out of the way, as the massive head crashed into the ground. The massive creature spun around, causing its tail to shred the fence as if it were paper, then lunged forward again at Tyrannous but missed repeatedly until Tyrannous managed to escape into the jungle. The metriacanthosaurus gave up and turned its head to look at the building, but nothing.

Silver Claw, Amanda, and Ellie silently stood behind a wall by the door. The metriacanthosaurus, searching the compound, walked though the grass then soon moved off as its mate, slightly larger with more a more reddish hide, emerged from the jungle with four hatchlings. Finally, when both the metriacanthosaurus moved off into the jungle the three stepped back out onto the stairs.

"That was close." Ellie sighed.

"Yeah… too close." Amanda agreed. "Now we have to go before that green raptor or those other things come back."

Silver Claw nodded and began to walk down the stairs.

"I should pack some things first." Ellie said and rushed into the building. "Wait for me."

"Ok… I should too… wait up." Amanda said before rushing after her.

For several minutes, Silver Claw stood on the stairs, alone, until Amanda and Ellie walked up to him. Both girls each had a backpack filled with clothing and a small blanket. Soon the three began to walk down the wet stairs and Amanda pulled out a map from her pocket.

"Ok the closest building complex is north east of here… though it is where a velociraptor pack is that are the same color as our friend." Amanda said quietly.

"No, we should stay away." Silver Claw replied.

"Maybe we could stay by one of those lakes… they both look like they have cliffs overlooking them and we might find a cave." Ellie said.

"That would be nice." Amanda added. "I would say that the furthest lake from here would be our best choice. It is close enough to the building that we could sneak in unnoticed by the other raptors… hopefully." Amanda replied. "Maybe that part of the lake isn't their territory."

"Is it theirs?" Ellie questioned.

"No," Silver Claw replied.

"Good," Amanda sighed.

Amanda, Ellie, and Silver Claw walked towards the broken fence and made sure not to trip over the mess of wires and metal. Finally, they got pass the mess when Silver Claw stopped and began to sniff the air. He turned around, lowered his head and nudged Ellie's right leg.

"What is it?" Ellie asked then she saw the blood. "Oh…Amanda could you get a bandage?"

"Why? What's wrong?" she asked.

"I'm bleeding and your friend here seems a little fixated on it." Ellie replied and moved her leg away from Silver Claw.

Amanda took off her backpack and looked though it until she found some bandages at the bottom. "Yeah… Here let me put it on."

Silver Claw stepped away and shook his head, trying to clear the scent of blood from his mind. What was that about? He thought as his mind gradually cleared.

Finally, when Amanda was finished with the bandage the three continued on, following Silver Claw through the jungle. Amanda picked up a hammer lying in the dirt in their path and put it in her bag. Soon the came to a familiar wall of bushes and soon stood at the edge of Silver Claw's old home.

Amanda sighed softly, "Saying your good byes." Silver Claw nodded. Amanda turned to Ellie, "This was his home…"

"Oh…" Ellie could only say then noticed an odd shaped object near her feet. Slowly she reached down and picked it up. "What's this?" She asked.

Silver Claw turned to see Ellie holding a toe claw. He quickly grabbed it with his mouth and gently placed it back on the ground. Silver Claw hissed loudly to make sure she would not touch it again.

"What was that about?" Ellie nervously asked after Silver Claw hissed at her.

"That was a claw from one of his dead family members." Amanda softly answered while Silver Claw walked around the rest of the nests.

"Oh…" Ellie replied and sighed.

Soon Amanda, Ellie, and Silver Claw were on their way again. They walked uninterrupted until nightfall when Amanda and Ellie had to rest. Slowly the girls sat down in the damp leaves, being sure not to get their bags wet. Slowly Silver Claw rested next to them but kept an eye on the surrounding jungle for any possible threat. For an hour, the three sat their, silent and tired, but refused to sleep. Finally, Amanda, Ellie and Silver Claw stood back up and continued their journey for a new home.

The next morning Amanda and Ellie lay asleep at the base of a tree, not to far away, Silver Claw lay curled up in a temporary nest. Nearby the sound of crashing water echoed through the jungle. Amanda slowly woke, stood up, and looked around. She slowly slid on her backpack and woke up Ellie.

"What?" Ellie moaned. "What time is it?"

"It's morning." Amanda replied.

"Hey… that sounds like a river…" Ellie said softly, "I could use a drink."

"Hey, you're right, it does. I wonder why we didn't notice it last night…" Amanda yawned before walking over to Silver Claw. "Wake up."

"What is it?" Silver Claw moaned.

"We should get going," Amanda growled. "There is a river nearby."

Silver Claw slowly stood up and began walking towards the river. Amanda and Ellie quickly followed Silver Claw into the jungle and within several minutes, they emerged from the jungle next to a massive waterfall. A thunderous roar filled the air. The water pored over the top in a massive wall, creating snow white waters and small whirlpools at the bottom.

"Wow!" Ellie and Amanda could only say at this majestic site.

After several minutes, Ellie finally asked. "How do we get across?"

Meanwhile back at the compound, "Where are you Silver Claw?" A voice shouted from the gap at the fence. "Come out and fight!" Slowly Tyrannous began to sniff the air. He looked down to find several droplets of blood. Tyrannous smiled as he found the slight scent remaining on the ground and began to follow it into the jungle.

"Hey! There's a bridge down there!" Amanda said with excitement and pointed down the river.

The two humans and the raptor quickly walked to the bridge that on each side had a small cliff under the base. The bridge was in terrible need of maintenance, one of the rails lie in the river, rust covered the entire structure and a human skeleton lay off to one side. Amanda and Ellie turned away when they saw this but soon continued onto the bridge. It creaked with every step but soon all three were across.

"Hey there's a road!" Amanda smiled. "This will make…"

Suddenly a loud crash sounded from behind and the three turned to see an adult proceratosaurus charging at them. The creature, six meters long with serrated teeth, long slender legs, bright red crest, and brown hide, let out a deafening roar. Amanda and Ellie screamed as the creature began to cross the bridge when suddenly it gave way and the proceratosaurus crashed into the water below. The proceratosaurus managed to stand up in the fast moving water. Silver Claw walked to the edge and looked over the side at the creature that roared in response. All of a sudden the rest of the bridge gave way and collapsed onto animal. The river turned red, Silver Claw turned away and gestured for Amanda and Ellie not to look but it was too late.

"Oh…" Amanda said as she looked over the edge. "We should go now…"

"Yes," Silver Claw sighed, "we should."

Slowly Silver Claw walked ahead of the humans as they followed the road. Only the calls of large herbivores could be heard in the distance as the three walked down the road. "When do you think we'll be there?" Ellie asked to break the silence.

"I don't know…" Amanda pulled out the island map. "It should be at least a day or two walk, three at the most."

"Ok," Ellie sighed.

Before long, the dirt road widened until it stretched over ten meters across and completely treeless. They walked down the center of the road for kilometers and the road abruptly changed to asphalt. In the distance, a small pole appeared with an orange object swaying in the wind. Gradually as the three got closer, a building with a tin roof at the edge of the jungle became visible. Soon they could see large oil drums, two vehicles covered in vines, broken crates, and a small antenna. By now, it was dusk and Amanda and Ellie were exhausted.

"We should stay the night here." Amanda said and yawned. "That building would be better that the damp jungle tonight."

"Yeah," Ellie agreed.

"Ok," Silver Claw said and walked towards the building and pushed the door open with his snout.

Inside, only impressions of where objects once were remained on the dirt floor, four windows faced the road and a series of wires ran into the ground from the roof under the antenna. Otherwise, the room was barren and empty. Amanda and Ellie walked over to the furthest corned form the door, pulled out a blanket from their backpacks, and sat down. Silver Claw nudged the door shut and soon lied down next to Amanda, resting his head on her lap. Finally, nightfall came and the two humans and one velociraptor slept comfortably in the serene night.

Tyrannous stood at the edge of a cliff. The bridge lied in a twisted mess with the broken body of the proceratosaurus in the riverbed below. He let out a roar of anger, jumped across the chasm, landed safely on the other side when suddenly the ground below his feet crumbled, and he tumbled into freezing water below. The current pushed him faster and faster down stream, several times completely submerging him underwater. Suddenly the water began to quicken more so until he felt himself being heaved over a huge waterfall and into a channel leading into the ocean.

A light drizzle fell over Isla Sorna as daybreak came, a soft breeze swayed the orange windsock, and the roof clicked with every drop of rain that hit it. Amanda stared out the window at the rain. In the corner, Ellie and Silver Claw still slept and because of the rain, Amanda did not want to wake them.

Amanda sighed softly. "So much like home…" She watched as the rain began to fall in greater quantity. Soon it drenched the ground and caused puddles to form. Amanda soon turned away from the window and sat down near Silver Claw.

Unnoticed by Amanda, Silver Claw began to wake up and soon stood up. He lightly nudged Amanda and she turned to look at him. Silver Claw was about wake Ellie when Amanda stopped him.

"Let her sleep," Amanda whispered. "It's pouring rain."

"So, why does that matter?" Silver Claw asked. "It is only rain."

"We could catch a cold." Amanda said softly.

Silver Claw walked over, pushed open the door, strolled outside and let the rain cover his body. Silver Claw sighed. "Why does she think she would catch a cold? This is warm." He said to himself.

Amanda just looked out the window at Silver Claw. She watched as he looked back at her gestured for her to come out. Amanda sighed and walked to the door and held her hand out. She felt the heavy drops hit hand. They were warm.

Suddenly thunderous roars echoed from the jungle. Silver Claw rushed for the door and after he entered, Amanda closed it. Amanda and Silver Claw watched as massive four legged creatures emerged from the jungle on both sides of the structure. Their large frills and long horns immediately named them as triceratops. The large herbivores walked carelessly in the rain, several stepped on the old wooden crates that shattered under the weight, and they began barking as they made their way from one side of the road to the other.

"What's going on?" Ellie moaned as she walked up to the window. "What are those?" She nervously asked.

"It's all right, they are triceratops, herbivores." Amanda replied.

"Oh, ok." Ellie sighed, "Noisy things aren't they."

"Yeah," Amanda said.

Silver Claw watched as young triceratops playfully jumped around in front the building, unaware that it was near one of the island's top predators. Silver Claw dug his claws into the dirt in frustration, his feathers stood on end and he growled at the unsuspecting animal.

"What's wrong?" Amanda asked in response to this strange behavior.

"I think it's that baby triceratops there." Ellie said when she looked at him. "He is fixated on it."

They watched as the herd move off into the jungle on the far side but the baby stayed on the road, still not far from the building. The triceratops jumped playfully in the puddles but suddenly the baby realized it was alone and squealed in fear. Thunder echoed over the island and drowned out the cries of the infant.

Silver Claw snapped. He jumped through the window with a loud crash and dug his claws into the hide of the young triceratops. It squealed in pain and struggled to move with the added weight of the velociraptor. Lightning flashed in luminous glows as the two animals struggled in the one-sided battle. Silver Claw slashed the thick grey hide with his killing claws and blood flowed from the massive wounds until the baby lay dead on the ground. He let out a victorious roar and began to eat.

Amanda and Ellie stood in shock behind the broken window. Silver Claw continued to eat then he finally remembered that Amanda and Ellie were watching. Slowly he approached the girls, who backed away from him. He jumped through the window and slowly walked up to them, by now the girls were against the wall. Droplets of blood and water dripped off the raptors body but his snout was drenched with blood. Silver Claw made a low hiss.

Tyrannous woke to the sound of thunder and quickly he jumped to his feet. His body, wet and covered in sand, ached with every movement. In front of him lay an unknown jungle, behind the unforgiving waters of the channel. He roared in anger but then something unexpected happened. He got a response. Suddenly the bushes in front of him came alive and a pack of velociraptors stepped out.

The pack totaled eleven as they surrounded the weak Tyrannous. Most were female, brown in color with green eyes, with a few males, orange with black strips and yellow eyes. Then one more stepped out, a female, white in color with black spots. She lowered her head and back away as several of the females snapped at her.

"What are you doing in our territory?" The alpha female hissed.

"I fell off a cliff into the water on the other side of this channel and washed up here." Tyrannous hissed and was ready to defend himself.

"What's your name?" The alpha male asked.

"Uh… I am Scar." Tyrannous replied a shook off some of the water on his back.

"Do you have a pack?" One of the females asked.

"No, they are all dead thanks to another pack." Tyrannous growled.

The alpha male and female began to talk then finally looked back to the weak raptor. "Would you like to join us?" The male asked.

Tyrannous was silent for several moments then smirked. "Yes… Yes I would." Thunder cracked overhead. "So… where do I now call home?"

"Follow us," The alpha female said and ran into the jungle.

The rest of the pack soon followed. Tyrannous slowly paced himself to stay close enough not to lose the group but slow enough to save his strength. Within the hour, they reached the edge of the jungle overlooking another channel.

Before them lay a small channel filled with tall rocks. On the other side, a large building complex sat in the center of a large grassy plain. "Over their in the grassy plain is our home," one of the females said, "In the trees by that complex are our nests."

"How long till we get their?" Tyrannous asked but the pack began to move without an answer. Tyrannous could only roll his eyes and try to catch up…


	10. Home

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 10: Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author Note: I will update more often with the number of reviews each chapter gets. Also for those who like longer chapters, I am thinking of writing chapters from now on with at least 5000 words though updates will take longer. Chapter 11 will be the start of this. (Tell me what you think.)

Silver Claw looked in the eyes of Amanda and Ellie and could only see fear and terror that he was causing. He stepped back, shaking his head wildly. What was he doing! Suddenly another crackle of thunder rippled through the air and caused Amanda and Ellie to scream. Silver Claw backed away even more, cutting his leg on a large shard of glass still imbedded in the window frame. Silver Claw roared in pain. Blood flowed from the wound and over his blue scales as he collapsed to his side. Amanda and Ellie watched in shock as the fallen raptor roared in pain and attempted to stand but fell back to the ground again.

"What should we do?" Ellie freaked, "He just tried to kill us!"

"No, I don't think so." Amanda muttered even though she was unsure herself.

"How do you know? He just killed a baby animal without any mercy." Ellie glared and backed further away from the fallen raptor.

"He does have instincts you know," defended Amanda then she got an idea.

Amanda quickly ran over to the corner of the room with her bag and grabbed the bandages. Being sure to watch the raptor's head and claws, Amanda cautiously walked over to the fallen raptor and got down on one knee by his bleeding leg. Amanda reached for his leg but quickly pulled away when he moved it. Slowly she reached for it again and gently held the wounded leg in her hand. Amanda examined the shard of glass in his leg, brushing the blood and dirt away from the area. "This is pretty deep." Amanda softly said. "You will need to get it bandaged."

Silver Claw took one look at her but quickly looked away, his feathers became completely flat and he closed his eyes. How could he act like that? What happened to make him approach the humans, his friends and new family, in such a manner that they thought he might harm them? He did not even know what he was doing at the time. His mind became clouded with the taste of blood before he approached them. Silver Claw let out a roar of pain as Amanda pulled the shard out.

Amanda swiftly wrapped the bandage around his leg and rubbed his back gently. "There you go. I hope it heals in a bit, we still need your help."

Silver Claw looked at Amanda. Amanda stared back at him with worry and concerned for his health. Ellie on the other hand looked at him with an angry glare.

Finally, Silver Claw slowly stood up and limped over to the corner opposite to their bags then lied back down. I hope they can forgive me.

"I think he feels really bad about what he did." Amanda softly whispered to Ellie. "What do you think we should do?"

"You can do whatever you like. I do not want him near us." Ellie replied in the same harsh tone as had when she first me the raptor.

"Don't be like that Ellie… We'll need him to get out of her possibly." Amanda said and pointed across the road to the base of numerous thick trees that hid several segisaurus, a small carnivore with short sharp teeth, four fingered hands and camouflage hide, watching like vultures.

"I wonder if one of those vehicles we saw over their still works." Ellie said optimistically. "That would help a lot."

"Ok we'll try it but first we have to get our raptor to come with us." Amanda said and inhaled heavily. She slowly walked over to the raptor and placed her hand on his back. "Ellie and I want to try something but there are some small dinosaurs across the road. Could you come with us, please?"

Ellie rolled her eyes and mumbled, "More like Amanda wants you to come with us."

Silver Claw looked at Amanda and staggered to his feet. He slowly walked with a slight limp to the door and nudged it open. The rain had stopped and the sky was beginning to clear, allowing the midday sun to become visible in the sky from time to time. He stepped out onto the road and started to cross when Amanda stopped him.

"One second." Amanda said and rushed to the corner to get her bag, Ellie did the same. When both she and Ellie stood somewhat close to Silver Claw, Amanda added, "Ok now we can go."

Amanda, Ellie and Silver Claw cautiously crossed the road towards the vehicles. As soon as the three reached the vehicles, they watched as the segisaurus, nearly tripping over each other, scurried to the center of the road and dug into the carcass. Amanda looked in a suburban, rusted to the point that only the vines were a source of color, but the skeletal remains, though missing the skull, of a worker were in the driver seat. Amanda and Ellie then walked over to the jeep, a light grey and red in color with a plastic top and some rust, to the left of the suburban.

"Hey, there are keys in this jeep!" Ellie excitedly said. "Who's driving?"

"We should see if it works first before we decide that." Amanda said and hopped in the driver side, throwing her bag in the back. "If it does I'm driving anyway."

Ellie frowned but reluctantly jumped in the passenger side and placed her bag in the back as well. "Well?" Ellie questioned.

Amanda inhaled deeply and turned the key. With a loud bang the engine started. Silver Claw jumped back in surprise and hissed at the vehicle. "It's ok." Amanda said with excitement. "We'll get to where we're going sooner this way. Now… how do we get you in the back?"

Silver Claw looked at her in confusion. Even after the way he acted, she still wants to have him come with them. He smiled slightly.

"Amanda let's just go, leave him…." Ellie never got finish because Amanda squeezed her arm, causing Ellie to wince in pain.

Silver Claw's eyes widened at what Ellie said. Slowly he turned away and was about to run into the jungle when he felt a hand on his back.

"Don't think about it." Amanda said and gestured for him to follow her to the back of the jeep. "Ah… here we go." Amanda said and opened up the back door. "You'll be sharing the back with our bags. Ok?"

"But," He started but Amanda stopped him and pointed to the back. Slowly he jumped into the back and Amanda closed the doors. Ellie got uncomfortable.

"Alright let's go." Amanda said, got behind the wheel, and put vehicle into reverse. The sound of snapping vines quickly became louder than the engine but stopped as soon as they were free. Soon they were on the road and Amanda brushed the dirt and plant matter off her mirror to see that the segisaurus were gone but a massive predator with a dark green hide, bloody jaws, short front arms and a huge head was charging at them.

Ellie looked out the back window to see what Amanda was looking at. "Go Amanda!" Ellie shouted.

The jeep suddenly jerked forward and quickly gained speed but the tyrannosaurus was too close to them. The tyrannosaur remained just out of reach until the jeep rounded several turns in the road, allowing the tyrannosaur to catch up to the jeep. All of a sudden, the tyrannosaurus lunged forward, sank its teeth into the plastic top, and pulled back. The jeep stopped instantly, the front end began to lift and the squealing of tires filled the air. Suddenly there was a loud crack and the plastic on the back ripped from the rest of the vehicle. The chase was not over yet; the tyrannosaurus quickly tossed the plastic top aside, caught back up to the jeep and soon ran parallel to it on the passenger side. Ellie and Amanda screamed as the huge head of the tyrannosaurus slammed into the side of the jeep, nearly flipping the vehicle onto its side. The massive creature roared in anger and slowed slightly when suddenly there was another loud crash. From the jungle emerged a herd of stegosaurus, completely oblivious to the jeep and the tyrannosaurus, started to cross the road.

Amanda swerved the jeep past the lead animal, which caused a wave of panic that escalated when the tyrannosaurus tried to pass to continue the chase. The stegosaur's dark brown plates turned a brilliant red-pink color and they viciously swung their tails in self-defense. The tyrannosaur lunged forward trying to fell one of these beasts but soon roared in pain as blood flowed from a large wound across the tyrant's face. Before long, the tyrannosaurus turned tail and ran into the jungle to escape further injury.

"Yeah we did!" Amanda cheered, "We just out ran a tyrannosaurus, sure we are in a jeep but…"

"That was awesome Amanda!" Ellie cheered. "Where did you learn to drive?"

"My dad taught me in the fields," Amanda relied and sighed at thought of her family.

Silver Claw remained silent as Amanda and Ellie continued to talk. Before long, the girls quieted and watched the surrounding jungle. Amanda slowed the jeep to fifty kilometers an hour and enjoyed the scenery.

The sun now glimmered over the island, the small puddles left from the storm reflected the light in blinding glares, several cumulus clouds remained in the sky and blocked out the sun from time to time. The smell of blossomed flowers filled the air, Amanda and Ellie's hair fluttered in the wind, and calls of majestic herbivores echoed over the island once more.

"This island isn't always so stressful." Amanda said softly, "It does have its advantage to life in a city."

"Yeah," Ellie sighed. "No traffic."

Amanda laughed at the statement. "You have a point their. I wonder if you'll ever get off this island."

"You mean we'll get off this island." Ellie said.

"No, I meant only you will." Amanda said with a slightly sadder tone.

"You are coming back with me if we are rescued." Ellie protested.

"There is nothing left for me back home, only an empty house. I'm the only one in my family alive and you are my only remaining human friend." Amanda replied with a saddened tone. She turned to look at the velociraptor, "You still alive back there? You've been rather quiet."

"Amanda, eyes on the road." Ellie said as the jeep started to turn towards the jungle. "I didn't know your entire family was on the ship."

"Yeah… well they were," Amanda said, moving the jeep back to the center of the road. "So why are you so quite?"

Silver Claw did not answer; instead, he lowered his head onto the back door of the jeep. His feathers remained flat on his head and he stared at the surrounding jungle. Amanda patiently waited for any response but one never came, she tried again but to no avail.

"It's no use Amanda," Ellie said, "He doesn't want to answer."

Amanda sighed heavily and rounded a corner but soon came to a stop. In front of her lay two roads, one heading north and the other south. Slowly Amanda turned off towards the north, the road quickly became hard to move on as the jungle enclosed around the jeep and the smooth road turned into a muddy mess. After an hour of travel the jeep finally gave into nature, the engine popped and smoke rose from under the hood.

"Crap," Amanda and Ellie said in unison.

Silver Claw raised his head above the seats to see Amanda standing up. "This is our stop," She said, "This jeep is useless now."

Ellie reached back and grabbed her backpack before jumping into a deep puddle. Amanda laughed and jumped off the back and onto dry land. Silver Claw slowly stood and jumped next to Amanda, he winced in pain.

"You could have told me we stopped in a puddle." Ellie said as she squeezed her dampened clothing.

"I thought you knew." Amanda snickered. "Ok, I think if we walk straight north from here we should reach the lake then we can find a home, hopefully."

"Alright let's go." Ellie said and splashed a bit of water onto Amanda.

Amanda stopped then turned to see the velociraptor walking the other way. "Where do you think you're going?" Amanda questioned. "We've come this far, you can't leave us now."

Silver Claw only stopped and turned to face her, shaking his head slightly.

"We are not… leaving you… behind," Amanda said in raptor but had to say the rest in English, "You are a friend and you are coming with us whether you like it or not."

Silver Claw shook his head again.

"I will drag you if I have to." Amanda replied and walked over to him.

"Fine," Silver Claw reluctantly said when Amanda put her arm around his neck.

Amanda smile and rubbed his neck a bit, "Thank you."

Finally, the three moved off into the jungle and away from the road. The dense jungle surrounded them in an immense wall of guanacaste trees, light grey in color with reddish vertical fissures running up to the thick canopy. The trees blocked out most of the light and soon the air became heavy with a rank foul swampy smell. An eerie mist clung to the spongy ground and the jungle fell silent as they moved further into the unknown.

"This place gives me the creeps," Ellie whispered, frightened by the fact that a velociraptor was no more than two meters away from her and she could not see too far into the distance because of darkness and vegetation.

"Yeah I know what you mean," Amanda said, "This is now my least favorite spot on the island."

"You have a favorite spot?"

"Yeah, that beach where we found you on, it was so beautiful." Amanda replied and smiled at the though of being in the warmth again.

"To bad this… island is covered in dinosaurs," Ellie said.

"Hey that not fair to our friend, you shouldn't insult him like that." Amanda argued.

Ellie glared at Amanda but remained silent.

After some time, the faint sounds of buzzing insects, the low soft cries of brachiosaurus, the thunderous bellowing of muttaburrasaurus, and the angry cries of pachycephalosaurus rang though the forest.

"I think we are getting close now," Ellie happily said, "but it still smells terrible here."

"Yeah," Amanda replied, "Hey! I think I see the lake!"

"I think you're right," Ellie squinted then smiled, "Race you their! Go!"

"No fair!" Amanda said and raced to catch Ellie.

The girls weaved in and out of trees until they were only a few meters away from the lake. Suddenly Silver Claw passed both of them and stopped them, he hissed angrily.

"What is it?" Amanda asked, wondering if there was something wrong with him. "Why did you stop us? We were having fun."

"Look," Silver Claw hissed and slowly pointed to the grass across the lake. Amanda and Ellie squinted to see but could not see anything. Silver Claw shifted his weight off the bandaged leg.

"What's over there?" Ellie asked as she backed away from Silver Claw.

"Velociraptors," Silver Claw said, calming down slightly.

"I still don't see anything," Ellie skeptically said, "Can you smell them or see them."

"Watch," Silver Claw only said before letting out a terrifyingly loud shriek. Ellie backed even further away while Amanda walked closer to some bushes and pushed a branch aside so she could get a better view.

Herds of animals in the grasses stampeded away and soon the field was empty. Suddenly several heads elevated above the grass, nine animals in total now scanned the fields. Amanda gasped as the animals started to growl and call to one another. A gentle breeze blew across the lake and moved Amanda's hair slightly.

"They're going to find us!" Ellie said in alarm.

"No," Silver Claw said softly and walked, although with a slight limp, eastward towards a large cliff face, unnoticed by the girls while they were running. Soon Amanda then Ellie followed behind him, Ellie still kept her distance while Amanda walked almost next the raptor. Within several minutes, they reached the cliff face. Jagged rocks and broken foliage lie at the bottom of the cliff; several bones of a few animals lay entangled in the sharp rocks. The top towered at least fifty meters above them, maybe more.

Silver Claw noticed an object, glinting in a low amount of sunlight reaching it. He quickly walked over to investigate but only to find a stone, jet black in color, reflecting the light. Next to the smooth white stone like object that brought Silver Claw to the ground. It was a skull, half-buried in the ground but almost in perfect shape, the skull of his mother. Silver Claw began to whimper softly.

For several long minutes, Silver Claw lay by the skull of his mother. Finally, Amanda walked over to him and gently set her hand on his back above the light blue stripe. She saw the raptor skull in the dirt and quietly sat down next to Silver Claw.

"I'm sorry." Amanda softly said, "This was a close friend of yours wasn't it."

"Yes," Silver Claw, "My mother."

"Oh…" Amanda said with growing sadness, "I know how you must feel… I am sorry that you lost her… She would be proud of you though."

Silver Claw smiled slightly at Amanda's words. "It will be dark soon. We should go."

"We can stay as long as you want." Amanda softly said.

Silver Claw only shook his head in response and slowly stood up.

Quietly the three followed the edge of the cliff, continuing onward into the night. Millions of stars, shimmering in a yellow glow, filled the sky above. The dense jungle of the island, quiet and calm, stood unmoved in the wind. The gurgle of a stream soon sounded through the air. Amanda yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea, I don't think we are going to find a cave anymore." Ellie said to break the silence.

"Maybe… let's not give up yet though." Amanda sighed.

"But I'm tired, can we get some sleep and continue in the morning." Ellie whined.

"No," Amanda argued, "we don't know what is in this jungle."

Silver Claw walked over to a small stream up ahead and began to drink. The cool water brought relief to his parched throat. Silver Claw found it odd that the stream flowed to the cliff so followed it. The stream disappeared under a large bush so Silver Claw slowly and cautiously pushed his head into the bush and soon his entire body until he completely disappeared.

"I know we don't know about anything about this jungle but still we have the raptor to protect us and you have that hammer," Ellie said, "we should be safe enough, although I still don't like the idea of him being this close to us, that raptor is pretty helpful."

"Speaking of that, where is he?" Amanda asked as she looked around for Silver Claw.

"Now what are we going to do?" Ellie asked, nervously eyeing the jungle. "He ditched us the first chance he got!"

"No he didn't," exclaimed Amanda, "he wouldn't do that to us."

"How would you know, he's just a stupid…" Ellie started but was unable to finish because of a loud crack in the jungle.

A deafening roar bellow out of the jungle and heavy steps quickly became louder. Amanda and Ellie stepped closer to the cliff and began to run at its base. All of a sudden, Amanda felt something grasp her shirt. With such force that her feet were no longer touching the ground, her body disappeared into some bushes. Ellie froze in fear, her body trembled and her heart raced. She was now alone. Suddenly a massive crashing sounded from the jungle and fifty meters away stood a tyrannosaurus. A long bleeding wound ran along one side of its face. Slowly it turned to face the human. Ellie staggered backwards, tripping over a root. She screamed as she fell and suddenly the world went black.

Amanda gasped as the tyrannosaurus walked closer to Ellie, her unconscious body lying near the bushes and partially in the stream. Amanda freaked, "You have to help her!" Silver Claw reached out and quickly dragged Ellie into the hiding spot.

The tyrannosaurus let out a terrifying roar that rattled the cliff before biting down on to the bush. With a quick twist of its massive head, the bush ripped from the ground, exposing a small tunnel. Slowly the tyrannosaurus lowered its head and looked inside, seeing nothing but the gloomy darkness that filled the small hole. The massive creature sniffed the air, causing dust to accumulate, and lifted its head. Finally, after several minutes, the tyrannosaurus let out another earth rattling roar before moving off into the jungle.

Amanda sighed in relief, her heartbeat began to slow and she wiped sweat and dust off her face. "That was close," she said to Silver Claw as they both looked around a small bend. Amanda soon looked at Ellie's unconscious body and shook her head. "Well we found a cave," she joked.

Silver Claw scanned the darkness of the cavern. Long stalagmites rose from the floor of the cave. Water droplets and silt covered the lower half of the blackened walls. Musty waves of air came in drafts from deep underground and the soft gurgle of the stream continued onward into the unknown.

"I wonder how deep this cave goes," Amanda said, looking into the darkness of the cave.

Silver Claw sniffed the ground to make sure nothing else was inside the cave and quietly sat down. Amanda grabbed two blankets from their bags and covered Ellie with one. Soon Amanda joined Silver Claw, resting her head on his side and covering up.

"Well we've found ourselves and new home," Amanda smiled, "I just hope that Ellie will be nicer to you."

"Yes, I do to," Silver Claw softly replied and turned his head to look at her, "goodnight and thank you Amanda."

"Goodnight," Amanda softly replied then leaned over and gave Silver Claw a soft kiss on his scaly cheek. Silver Claw began to hum a soft lullaby his mother would sing to him until Amanda fell asleep then he too shut his eyes and began to sleep…


	11. Life on Site B

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 11: Life on Site B

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author note: I hope you like this chapter and I hope to make others like it. As always, I would like to hear suggestions for improvement. Thank you.

Amanda slowly awoke to Silver Claw's gentle breathing, her head rising and falling with every breath. She gradually sat up, being sure not to wake him. Amanda looked to her left to Ellie were they had left her last night. Amanda quietly put her blanket away then walked around the bend in the cave and looked out the entrance.

The morning light shone into the cave, illuminating the walls. Amanda used her hand to block out some of the light until her eyes adjusted the brightness. Warmth from the sun engulfed her body as she slowly bent over and cupped her hand to get some water. Before long, Amanda walked to the entrance and scanned the surrounding jungle. An unnerving silence covered the area, not a single call came from the forest, the only sound, so faint that it was almost nonexistent, was the stream that had shriveled in size from three feet to only a foot across. The soft smell of flowers, carried by a gentle breeze, filled the air.

Amanda took in a heavy breath and sighed. This place is so beautiful, she thought. I cannot believe how rewarding life is without living in a mansion with lots of money although a pool might be nice. This is true happiness; I only wish my family could see this right now. Amanda slowly sat down in the entrance of the cave, being sure to keep an eye on the jungle around her.

Amanda inhaled deeply and let out a sigh. The wind died down and the scent of flowers soon faded. Amanda inhaled once more and noticed an odd smell in the air that steadily grew more prominent. She tried to wave the scent away but in stayed in the air around her. Suddenly she realized the source of the smell, her. She had not changed her clothing in almost a week, though up until they left the compound she kept her clothing relatively clean. Amanda blushed in embarrassment and quietly stood up.

She quickly walked over, grabbed her bag, and moved back to the entrance. Amanda set the bag against the wall and unzipped it. She proceeded to sort through the contents, gently placing them off to one side or the other. Finally, she found what she was looking for, shorts and a tan t-shirt. Amanda silently unbuttoned her shirt and set it on the ground. Next, she slipped out of the tattered jeans and slipped into the grey shorts. Amanda took this chance to wash her legs and body of the accumulated dirt and sweat from the last few days. She sighed when she happened upon a small cluster of bumps on her typically smooth back.

"Oh well," she sighed as she slid into the shirt.

Amanda placed the remaining clothing back into her bag and grabbed the dirt-covered garments. She bent down by the stream and tried to scrub the filth from them. The shirt tore down the back while the jeans where filled with so many holes that it was not worth the effort to clean. Amanda ripped part of the stronger section of the shirt and buried the rest under some rocks and dirt. She held back her hair and tied the rag around until she had a ponytail.

Amanda placed the bag next to Ellie's backpack, causing a small rock to fall, and walked back to the cave entrance. She sat down on a large rock and stared aimlessly at the horizon. She began to hum the tune Silver Claw did the night before.

Silver Claw slowly woke to Amanda's soft humming and smiled. He quietly stood up and looked around the corned. Amanda continued humming, unaware Silver Claw was awake and he let it stay that way. Gradually he turned to Ellie, her body lying against the cave wall. Silver Claw lowered his head and sniffed the air around Ellie. Well… she is alive, Silver Claw thought. That is a good thing.

Suddenly Silver Claw heard a small rock fall from deep within the cave. He cautiously stepped into the unknown, his eyes quickly adjusting to the light. Where a human might not see at all in this darkness, to Silver Claw it only seemed like dusk. As he approached the source of the noise, the ground turned to solid rock and the walls became wavy and smooth. He sniffed the air and snapped his head to the right just see a lizard scurry behind some rocks.

Silver Claw lowered his head and pushed aside some rocks to find a hole. He sighed and gave the rock a soft kick. The creature looked out of the hole and quickly pulled back. Suddenly the rock crumbled and broke free from the rock wall, exposing a semi clear blue rock and the lizard. Silver Claw smiled and snapped his jaws shut around the creature. Cold blood ran down his jaws and he quickly tossed back the lizard, swallowing it whole. Silver Claw licked his jaws clean of blood and soon turned his attention back to the stone. He examined the rock, its rounded sides and smooth texture intrigued him.

He smiled and picked it up in his claws. I wonder if Amanda would like this. He perked up his head and lifted his feathers. Silver Claw quickly turned towards the entrance and quickly walked in the direction. Amanda's humming soon filled the air and Silver Claw quickened his pace. Soon he rounded the corner and walked up to Amanda.

"I hope I can live here forever." Amanda softly said.

"Me too," Silver Claw said.

Amanda turned to see Silver Claw standing a few meters away.

"Good morning Amanda," Silver Claw said.

"Good morning Silver Claw," she smiled.

Silver Claw looked at Amanda awkwardly and walked up to her. He gently nudged her ponytail and took a step back.

"It's called a ponytail," Amanda explained, "Do you like it?"

Silver Claw looked at it awkwardly for a moment then shook his head.

"Oh ok," Amanda said, slid the band off and let her long dusty brown hair hang loosely at her shoulders.

Silver Claw let out a snort of approval and simply said, "Better."

"What's that?" Amanda asked and pointed to Silver Claw's hand.

Silver Claw placed the stone in Amanda's lap and stepped back. "Wow," Amanda said as she looked at the stone. "It looks like a sapphire, where did you find this?"

Silver Claw turned his head and looked toward the deeper part of the cave then turned back to Amanda. She smiled as she fiddled with the stone, its smooth surface shining in the light. Amanda sighed and looked at Silver Claw.

"Well, here you go." Amanda said and held out the stone in her hand.

Silver Claw shook his head and said, "Yours."

"You're giving me this?" Amanda asked, "Why?"

"Friend," Silver Claw said and pushed her hand away with his snout.

"Thank you," Amanda said for lack of better words and stood up. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug, "Thank you," she said again before sitting back down.

"You're welcome," Silver Claw replied.

"How's Ellie?" Amanda asked.

"Sleeping," Silver Claw replied and then slowly sat down next to her.

"I was just thinking how beautiful this place is," Amanda said while playing with the stone. "I love it here."

"Me too," Silver Claw said, "want to learn some more words?"

"Sure," Amanda said, "What about Ellie though?"

"Want to wait?" Silver Claw asked.

"Yeah, we better." Amanda sighed then quietly added, "We don't want her to get angrier with us."

"Yeah," Silver Claw sighed then rested his head on Amanda's lap.

"I was wondering… when might we be getting some food?" Amanda asked.

"Today," he replied.

"Ok, good," Amanda said, "I'm starving."

"I'm… I'm Alive," they suddenly heard Ellie loudly stutter. "Amanda? Amanda where are you?"

"Come towards the light," exclaimed Amanda.

"What happened?" Ellie asked when she rounded the bend and saw Silver Claw and Amanda. "Where was he last night?"

"He found this cave and dragged your unconscious body in here," exclaimed Amanda.

"Unconscious?"

"You slipped and hit your head on a rock," replied Amanda, "if not for our friend here you'd be dead."

"Well… ummm… thank you… I guess," Ellie finally said.

"You're welcome," Silver Claw replied though his head did not leave Amanda's lap.

"What's that?" Ellie asked and pointed to the stone in Amanda's hand.

"Oh this, Silver Claw gave it to me." Amanda said, "It's some kind of gem I think."

Ellie sighed then inhaled deeply. "What's that smell?" Ellie asked, "It's almost musty."

"Probably you," Amanda laughed, "You did fall and get wet yesterday. Then there is the fact that you haven't bathed in almost a week."

"I have to bathed, the day before we left." Ellie replied.

"How, we didn't have any running water," Amanda said, starting to get suspicious.

"That you knew about, I found a working tap outside near the back of the building." Ellie admitted.

"And you didn't tell me!" Amanda said furiously.

"It stopped working after used it the day before we left." Ellie tried to explain.

"But when did you find it?" Amanda questioned.

"Two days after you found me…" Ellie said and turned away, moving behind the bend. The sound of Ellie unzipping her bag echoed through the cave. "Don't come back here, I'm changing."

"Don't worry, I won't but Silver Claw might." Amanda joked, "He has the worst timing; he once walked in on me changing."

"Shut up," Ellie said and poke her head around the corned, "Don't either of you dare come back here." Before long, Ellie reappeared from around the corner in jeans and a green, short sleeved Ingen Construction shirt.

"What do you want to do today?" Ellie asked Amanda.

"Well we were thinking we could learn some new words then go hunting," Amanda replied.

"Let's get some food; I'm not in the mood to learn any new words right now." Ellie said.

"Alright," Amanda sighed then looked at Silver Claw, "do you want to go hunting now?"

"Ok," He said excitedly and almost immediately was on his feet.

"On sec," Amanda said, "I should change that bandage, it looks a little red."

Silver Claw watched as Amanda quickly went into her bag, retrieved some bandages and put the stone in her bag. Amanda quickly walked back to Silver Claw and told him what she did with the stone. When Silver Claw nodded Amanda slowly began to peel off the old bandage and looked at it with amazement.

"Raptors don't bleed much… do they?" Amanda questioned in amazement, "For this deep of a wound I would have expected a lot more blood."

"No," Silver Claw could only say due to Amanda's limited vocabulary.

"No sign of infection either… so that good." Amanda said when she finished changing the bandages and put the excess in her pocket. "Can you run without it hurting this leg?"

Silver Claw slowly put most of his weight on the one leg then nodded. "Yes."

"Ok how are we going to do this now?" Amanda asked, "Are you going to teach us about hunting soon?"

Silver Claw nodded and slowly walked out of the cave, sniffing the air as he went. Amanda then Ellie soon followed. Quietly they headed into the jungle and towards the lake. For half an hour, they wandered the dense jungle until they finally emerge from the jungle and onto a hill overlooking the placid lake.

A large grassy plain stuck out into the lake slightly. A herd of brachiosaurs gazed carelessly on the tops of trees nearby, their long majestic necks protruded above the trees. Large numbers of gallimimus and leptoceratops playfully ran through the fields near the lake. A few heavily armored ankylosaurus grazed alongside the tree line.

"I could watch this all day," said Amanda, "What are we going to hunt then?"

"Not yet," Silver Claw replied.

"What are we doing then?" Ellie asked.

"Watch," Silver Claw said.

Suddenly a velociraptor ran out of the taller grasses and towards the gallimimus herd. All the animals in the field began to stampede away when suddenly several more raptors appeared and charged at the fleeing animals, running straight into the herd. The gallimimus gracefully turn away from the main stampede like a flock of birds and towards the tree line. Three female raptors suddenly broke cover form the trees and ran into the herd of gallimimus. The females attacked two separate animals, easily bringing them to the ground. The rest of the pack quickly broke into two groups and helped bring down the struggling animals.

"Wow," Amanda could only say. The entire attack took less than a minute, she thought, that is amazing. Oh, I hope we do not have to try something like this.

The pack backed away from the carcasses as two animals, a male and a female, began to approach and soon started to eat. Within a few minutes, the rest of the pack joined in on the feast.

"Are going to hunt like that?" Ellie frowned.

"Depends," replied Sliver Claw.

"Depends? What do you mean by depends?"

"He means that if there is enough food left we can go scavenge off one of the kills." Amanda replied before Silver Claw could answer.

"Oh…" Ellie said, "How did you know that."

"It's a lot easier than having to find something and kill it." Amanda replied.

"Yes," Silver Claw smiled.

The wind suddenly changed and blew towards the pack, carrying the scent of Amanda, Ellie, and Silver Claw with it. Silver Claw became nervous as the pack of raptors began barking and chirping at him. All the raptors were finished their meal and quickly separated into two groups. They quickly moved along the edge of the lake and towards Silver Claw.

"Oh crap…" Amanda whispered, "Are they coming here?"

"Yes," Silver Claw said.

"This was your plan all along!" Ellie shouted, "now their after us and…"

"Ellie shut up, he was not planning this," Amanda said, though almost yelling at Ellie, "Now what is going to happen."

"Go into a tree," Silver Claw said, "then wait."

"Ok but what about you?" Amanda asked.

"I will wait here," replied Silver Claw, "I am out of their territory."

"Ok be careful though." Amanda said and quickly followed Ellie into a nearby tree on the southern slope of the hill.

Silver Claw hoped that what his father taught him about dealing with other packs out of territory was correct. Do not show fear, do not be nervous, keep your head high, always speak with authority and never run away when approached out of the other packs territory. Silver Claw smelt the air around the trees and quickly determined where the edge of the packs territory was, although the smell seemed very faint.

"Why don't we just leave?" Ellie asked Amanda.

"I don't know but those raptors would probably chase us if we ran and Silver Claw can't climb trees."

For a little under an hour they sat their on the hill until the raptors finally immerged on both sides of the clearing, though they did not surround Silver Claw. They stood in a loose group with alpha male and female in the front. The remaining animals scanned the jungle for more raptors but soon found Amanda and Ellie.

"Why are their humans in that tree," a young male hissed.

Suddenly the alpha male barked at the younger animal then turned back to Silver Claw. The younger raptor backed away, lowered his head, and flattened his feathers. "You'll have to excuse his manners, he is but a hatchling."

"What is it that you want?" The alpha female asked, her scales darker than the scales of the other raptors, showing her age. Several scars lined her snout, possibly from fights over the alpha position.

"I would like to let you know that the area neighboring your territory has been claimed by me and my pack." Silver Claw said, trying to have a tone of high authority, "And that we want nothing but friendship between our packs."

"Funny you should say this because it just happens to be that we claimed this area shortly after the last pack was killed." The male said and stepped past what Silver Claw thought was the territorial line. The male looked like Silver Claw but was slightly bigger, with a red stripe along his back instead of a blue one, and larger claws.

"Where is your pack?" The alpha female demanded, "Call them here at once."

"They are too far away…" Silver Claw replied, becoming increasingly nervous.

"The thing about that is there is only one raptor scent on you and that is your own," the male snickered, "I call you a liar." Silver Claw accidentally stepped back slightly. The male smiled. "How young are you?"

"A little over a year," Silver Claw replied.

"It shows in your inability to assert yourself as a representative of your pack and attempt to lay claim to this land," the male sighed, "now tell me, where is your pack really?"

"Dead," Silver Claw finally said and looked down, "the spinosaurus got them."

The pack looked back and forth between each other, mumbling comments and thoughts to one another. One of the males broke off from the group and quietly disappeared into the trees, unseen by anyone. Amanda slid forward on the branch she was on and let one of her legs daggle slightly.

"Now tell me why we shouldn't kill you now?" the female said and stepped forward, raising her killing claws.

Before Silver Claw could answer, a loud scream filled the air with a loud thud shortly afterward. Everyone turned to see Ellie still in the tree although trembling. The young raptor that had disappeared stood over Amanda, his jaws bloody in spots. Silver Claw's eyes open in fear and anger. He jumped at the younger raptor and in a second, the smaller male was on the ground several meters away from Amanda. Silver Claw then quickly turned to see Amanda crying and holding her bleeding right leg. He gently moved her hand to see several punctured spots bellow her knee. Silver Claw hiss in fury and turned back to the young male.

"How dare you touch her," Silver Claw roared, "I should kill you for this."

"Why are you protecting that…_Human?_" the male hissed back.

"She's my friend!" Silver Claw hissed then quickly turned around, "Amanda get into the tree."

"Amanda?" the alpha female questioned, "it has a name?"

"Yes," Silver Claw said and positioned his body between Amanda and the pack of raptors. His body trembled slightly in anger and rage. "What does it matter to you?"

"Why are you protecting them so fiercely?" The alpha male asked and raised his claws, "possibly at the cost of your own life."

"There're my pack," Silver Claw said and rose his head again to show authority.

"Pathetic," one of the females said.

The pack began to laugh until the alpha female finally could say, "such weak creatures humans are, of all the creatures to have a pack with, why them?"

"Hey we're not weak!" Amanda said as she tried to hold back the tears.

The alpha female nearly fell over in shock, "How much of our language do they know?"

"Not much…" Silver Claw sighed and calmed down slightly, safe in the knowledge that Amanda was safe in the tree.

"So you're teaching them how to understand us?" The alpha male questioned.

"Yes I am," replied Silver Claw, "I would be hard to have a pack that can't understand you, now wouldn't it."

"What's your name hatchling?" The female asked.

"Silver Claw," he replied, "why?"

"Where did you come from?" The alpha male asked.

"Why?"

"Just answer the question," the male barked.

"Southwest of here," Silver Claw replied, "but why does that make a difference."

"Who was your mother?" The female asked.

"Amber," Silver Claw replied and looked down.

"Daughter of Fang was she not?"

"How did you know that?" Silver Claw looked at the female in confusion.

"Simple," the female sighed, "she was my sister."

Silver Claw just stared in shock. How could this be, he thought, my mother never had a sister…did she? "How can that be? My mother never told me she had a sister."

"I am a year older than your mother was and she was only a hatchling when I left. By the way, my name is Sara and this is my mate Jack." The alpha female said.

"Why did you leave the pack?" Silver Claw asked.

The alpha female sighed, "The pack became too large to feed and fifteen members along with me left the area, eventually we stumbled upon this place."

"I never knew that." Silver Claw admitted then got an idea, "Maybe you and your mate could accept me and my human companions into your pack… since you and I might be related."

Jack turned to Sara and they began talking back and forth for a few minutes. Finally, Jack looked to Silver Claw. "We have decided that if you like you and only you may join our pack but the humans cannot."

"Sorry but I'll have to decline that offer, they are my friends and I would never leave them," Silver Claw immediately replied without hesitation.

Jack sighed, "That is the offer, take it or leave it."

"And what if I don't take it?"

"You will immediately be forced out of our territory by use of physical force if necessary." Sara said and stepped forward as did the rest of the pack.

"I have an idea…" Amanda reluctantly said as the pack became increasingly agitated with Silver Claw. Silver Claw turned his attention to Amanda and nodded his head. "Maybe we could just…live here and be left alone to live and uh… stay away from your pack… It was just a thought…" Amanda nervously said, not knowing if she made the situation worse.

Silver Claw looked at Sara and Jack as they again began to discuss what to do. After some time Sara finally said, "We have agreed to let you live here but be warned that if any of you are caught near our nesting site that you will be killed without hesitation." The rest of the pack hissed and growled in anger at the alpha's decision but shut up when Jack looked at them.

"Thank you." Silver Claw said.

"Thank you," Amanda growled. "Can we come down now?"

Silver Claw looked up to Amanda and nodded his head.

Slowly Amanda started to climb down the tree though Ellie did not move. Once she reached the bottom, Amanda quickly moved to stand beside Silver Claw but away from the young raptor that bit her leg. "Well if you are done here, I would like to go home and get a bandage for my leg," Amanda said softly.

"Ok," Silver Claw said. "Thank you."

"Are you coming with us Ellie?" Amanda asked.

"I'm not leaving this tree until they're gone, especially that one," said Ellie, pointing to the male velociraptor that had bit Amanda.

"Oh yes, there is one other thing I would like to do before we go our separate ways for the time being." Silver Claw said and turned his head to the young male, "The least you can do is apologize to Amanda."

Amanda recognized some of the words so leaned against the tree and looked at the raptor. Amanda placed felt some thing in her pocket and pull out the bandages from earlier. "Well?" Amanda questioned.

"No," he hissed.

Silver Claw bared his teeth a bit but knew he couldn't force the raptor to do anything. He gave a loud snort and turned to Amanda.

"Oh never mind him, he's not worth the effort," said Amanda. "By the way, we don't have to go back." Amanda added then showed Silver Claw the small bundle of bandage out of the pocket, "I forgot that I put it in here when we were leaving."

"Can we still go back," Ellie asked from the tree.

"No," Amanda replied as she put the bandage back into her pocket. "I need to wash my leg first then we can do what we came out here to do in the first place."

"What would that be?" Ellie questioned.

"Get food," Amanda said, "remember."

"Oh yes but we have to hunt now." Ellie said and pointed across the lake, "the spinosaurus is eating what we could have had."

"Crap… oh well," Amanda sighed, "Is their any streams nearby or is the lake the closest source of water?"

"Yes," one of the female raptors said. "Just a short run that way," she added and pointed northward.

"Thank you," said Silver Claw and soon began walking northward with Amanda. Just as they reached the tree line, Amanda stopped and turned to see Ellie frowning at her.

"Well are you coming with us or are you going to sit in that tree all day Ellie?"

"Those raptors are staring at me," Ellie replied, "Can you get them to go away?"

"Why don't you ask them yourself?" Amanda replied.

"It still feels weird talking to an animal," Ellie admitted.

"We're not going to wait all day Ellie, hurry up and get out of that tree or we'll go to the stream without you." Amanda said in an annoyed tone.

"…Fine… I'll get out of this stupid tree," Ellie finally said, "but if anything happens it is your fault Amanda."

Slowly Ellie reached for a branch and stood on another. Soon she was near the bottom when suddenly there was a loud snap. Ellie froze, she could not figure out where the sound had originated before it was too late. Her entire body suddenly dropped, the branch she was holding could not support her weight and soon gave way. Ellie quickly crashed into the ground at the base of the tree with a tremendous thud and slowly sat up, trying to hold back a wave of tears.

"Are you ok?" Amanda asked as she rushed over to Ellie's side.

Ellie could only nod her head in response, otherwise she would cry.

They pack became a little restless and several members walked towards the lake. Jake stopped one of the females and looked back at Amanda and Ellie.

"You need some help?" Amanda asked and extended her arm.

Ellie slowly stood up herself. Silver Claw moved next to Amanda. Ellie pushed past both of them and began to head towards the stream. Amanda and Silver Claw soon followed and quickly caught up to her with ease. They soon reached the trees and were about to enter when a voice called out from behind.

"Hey wait up," a young female shouted as she ran up to the group and stopped next to Amanda.

"Yes?" Silver Claw questioned.

"My father asked that I accompany you and keep you out of trouble." She said.

Silver Claw looked at Amanda and tried to think of words that she knew to ask her about this. "Can she… follow… us?" he asked although feeling weird.

"You mean can she come with us?" Amanda asked and Silver Claw nodded in response. "I guess she could as long as she doesn't cause us any problems."

"Hey, don't I have a say in this?" Ellie blurted, "I don't think she should, one velociraptor around me is enough."

"Is she always like this?" The female asked.

"You have no idea," Amanda replied, knowing Ellie could not understand some of the words because she had trouble with them.

"What's you name?" Silver Claw asked the young female.

"Sunayana," she replied, "What were your names again?"

"Silver Claw," he replied, "this is Amanda and the other is Ellie."

"Shall we be off then," Sunayana said and gestured to the jungle, her amber eyes glinted in the sunlight.

"Ok," Silver Claw replied and walked into the jungle, quickly followed by Amanda and Ellie.

"Silver Claw," Amanda started, "The thing you were doing back there, you know talking to the other raptors, was that some kind of velociraptor politics or something?"

"Yes," Silver Claw replied.

"Oh ok," said Amanda, "I was just wondering."

They walked quietly through the jungle. Thick cycads and ferns lined the forest floor while mighty redwoods towered overhead with a thick canopy that blocked out most light. A gentle breeze snaked its way between the trees, carrying with it the soft scent of flowers and damp plant matter. Occasional rotten logs lay strewn about; mushroom grew in great quantities upon the rotting wood though Amanda and Ellie did not want to take a chance of getting sick by eating them. Pockets of light that reached the floor exposed the dampened earth, covered in leaves and moss. The occasional, small piles of almost polished rocks lay about the ground, though they seemed out of place. Eventually the soft gurgle of the stream up ahead came into the already abundant sounds that filled the air.

"So how did you find these humans?" Sunayana asked.

"Well Amanda was in a building in my old territory and Ellie I found a few days later on a beach nearby," replied Silver Claw.

"We it's nice you found them, they seem nice."

"If not for them I might have died of hunger or Tyrannous might have got me." Silver Claw sighed and thought of how lucky he was to have them.

"Died of hunger? Who's this Tyrannous?" She looked at him with confusion written across his face.

"Well I was feeding Amanda and Ellie so they wouldn't die of hunger but I neglected to feed myself. Eventually I got really sick and they saved me." Silver Claw replied.

"How did they save you?" Sunayana asked.

"Well they went hunting and brought back a young gallimimus."

"Hunting is pretty easy though."

Silver Claw sighed, "They didn't know the first thing about hunting."

"Wow… and they got it on their first try?" She questioned and when Silver Claw nodded, she added. "And who is this Tyrannous."

"I don't really want to talk about him; he has caused my enough pain already." Silver Claw said and looked down.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"That's ok." Silver Claw said.

Amanda tried to decipher what the two raptors were talking about but she did not know most of the words they had used. All she new was that the conversation was mostly about Ellie and herself. We it is nice he has someone to talk to now, Amanda thought. She pushed through a bush and froze instantly. Before her lay a large animal, like the one Silver Claw scared away once, with a domed head and thick muscles. It was sleeping.

Quickly Amanda turned around and stopped the group. "There is a sleeping dinosaur by the stream," she whispered.

Silver Claw smiled slightly, showing his long white teeth. Quietly and cautiously, they moved up to the sleeping animal. Amanda and Ellie watched as the creature took in a deep breath and snorted. Suddenly there was a loud snap and Ellie looked down.

"Oops," Ellie said.

The creature jumped to its feet and roared in furry. Silver Claw and Sunayana quickly jumped away as the pachycephalosaurus charged. Ellie fled towards the nearest thicket while Amanda tried to keep out of sight.

The pachycephalosaurus charged forward after Silver Claw, knocking over small trees and tearing up the underbrush. Silver Claw moved as fast as his leg would allow him to get out of the way then jumped at the creatures exposed throat. Sunayana hastily attacked the animal but quickly was thrown to the ground, landing a few meters away. Blood covered the thick dusty blue hide of the pachycephalosaurus as it called out in pain and for help. Soon the loss of blood was too great and the creature collapsed to the ground, twitching violently.

"Well they were a lot of help," Sunayana moaned as she slowly stood up.

"It's not their fault," Silver Claw defended, "They have nothing that can kill unless they use their tools."

"They can bite can't they?" Sunayana argued.

"Yes but I don't think they could do too much with those short teeth."

"Oh," Sunayana only said and stepped away from the kill.

"Amanda…Ellie," Silver Claw called and began to slice into the kill.

"Thank you," Amanda said in raptor before biting into a piece of meat Silver Claw cut for her.

"Why aren't you eating first?" Sunayana asked in shock, "Are you not the alpha of your pack are you not?"

"Yes," Silver Claw replied and gave a piece to Ellie, "I am the alpha but Amanda and Ellie know too little of our language for me to set up a pack order. And I don't see a need to set up one anyway." With that, he began to dig into the carcass.

"Well any good pack should have order." Sunayana said.

"We have order." Silver Claw said, starting to get uncomfortable, "please don't continue this any further."

"Ok," Sunayana said and walked to the stream.

Amanda and Ellie quietly finished their meals and followed Sunayana to the stream. The cold clear water quenched Amanda's thirst, washing the blood from her hands and face. Soon they were ready to leave when Amanda remembered her leg. Quickly she washed the dried blood from the wound and cleaned the saliva from the deeper wounds. Finally, she bandaged the leg and walked over to the group.

"Where do you want to go now?" Amanda asked.

"Home would be nice," Ellie replied.

"No," Silver Claw replied to Ellie

Ellie only frowned in response.

"I know where we could go," Sunayana said softly.

"Where would that be?" Amanda asked.

"There is a building not too far away from our nest that we could explore." Sunayana suggested.

"Ok, let's go there." Silver Claw smiled.

"Did she say building?" Amanda asked just to clarify if she heard it correctly.

"Yes," Silver Claw said.

"Ok let's go there then," Ellie said, "if it is better than our cave we could just stay there."

A soft hoot, like that of an owl, drifted through the forest. Silver Claw and Sunayana both became very nervous and stepped back slightly.

"What was that?" Amanda questioned.

"Danger," Silver Claw replied and quietly walked into the jungle. Sunayana passed him and headed towards where she new the building to be. Amanda and Ellie quickly followed and within several minutes, they were far enough away from the carcass to slow down.

"What was back there?" Ellie asked, "It sounded like an owl to me."

"Probably some kind of carnivorous dinosaur or something…" Amanda replied. "What a minute, I know what those are," she then added, "they attacked us the day we found you, remember?"

"Oh yeah, with the crests or something," Ellie said.

The jungle began to thin as they closed in on the lake. The tall redwoods turned into smaller more tropical trees, thorn-ridden bushes with sweet smelling violet flowers replaced the ferns, and cycads disappeared completely. Soon the soothing swash of the lake waters reverberated through the air, creating a serene feel to the island. The long calls of the brachiosaurus echoed across the lake and through the jungle. Soon Amanda, Ellie, Silver Claw and Sunayana pushed past the last set of bushes and gazed at the beautiful sight before them.

What fear once gripped the herbivores had disappeared completely. The spinosaurus was nowhere in sight and the fields surrounding the lake were full of life once more. Young animals frolicked in the sun-drenched grasses while the adults grazed nearby, triceratops females fought amongst each other for higher positions in the social stature, and herds of smaller animals grazed on the tougher plants destroyed in the path of the Stegosaurs.

"Like I said before, this is the most beautiful place," Amanda smiled. "Can we stay here for a bit? I just want to rest for a bit before we walk any further, ok?"

Silver Claw nodded and sat down in a small grassy patch. Amanda soon sat next to him and Silver Claw immediately placed his head on her lap. Amanda smiled slightly and before long began to pet his head. She noticed the ridges above his eyes were more of a red instead of the blue as when she first met him. Silver Claw soon began to purr softly and curled his tail around Amanda until he could see its tip in front of his head.

At the sight of this, Sunayana shook her head in disapproval and quickly turned away. Ellie rolled her eyes and turned her gaze elsewhere. Sunayana muttered something before lying down a few meters away from Silver Claw and Ellie soon sat down next to her.

Amanda gazed across the lake at the carefree animals. Gentle gusts of wind cooled the hot midday air and insects began to become active. Before long, the group had to move or disappear within a swarm of mosquitoes. The shoreline became increasingly rocky as they progressed along the waters edge, small minnows darted about the shallows, and soon reeds began to stick out of the water. The soil turned to a spongy mixture of dead plant material and saturated soil as they reached the southern edge of the lake. The reeds skyrocketed in size, easily surpassing most humans in height. Finally, after several hours the group passed back into the jungle and towards the building.

"How much longer," Ellie whined, "My feet are killing me."

"We're probably less than an hour away by now." Amanda reassured.

"I hope your right," Ellie sighed.

"Sooo…" Sunayana started, "how is your relationship between yourself and Amanda."

"Fine," Silver Claw replied then asked, "Why?"

"Oh I was just wondering because you seem pretty close to her." Sunayana replied.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Silver Claw asked with a hint irritation in his tone.

"Oh nothing…" She replied in an almost joking tone. For several minutes, they passed through an unending wall of bushes, ferns and cycads. Then at last, Sunayana pushed through a bush and said, "We're here."

The group stopped. Before them lay a massive valley, dense with jungle and shrouded with mist. At its center, the northern side of a large building complex surrounded by a barely visible fence, broken and consumed by the jungle. A flock of birds suddenly shrieked somewhere in the distance towards the lake then passed overhead. They turned around to scan the jungle but could see nothing beyond a few feet. A wave of smell meandered through the trees and Ellie nearly gagged at the pungent odor of rotten flesh.

"Run," Amanda whispered as the smell became stronger. She turned first and began down the hill into the valley. Ellie quickly followed along with Sunayana and Silver Claw. The dense jungle engulfed them and slowed there movements. A thunderous roar shook the jungle and suddenly a tyrannosaurus burst from the trees at the top of the hill. It roared in furry and began crashing through the foliage after the small group. Because of the dense foliage, the tyrannosaurus quickly caught up, easily stepping over whatever lay in its path.

"Look out!" Amanda screamed as a tree toppled over in front of the group and another tyrannosaurus burst from hiding. Sunayana and Ellie were forced off in one direction while Amanda and Silver Claw in another. Now both tyrannosaurs turned and followed Amanda and Silver Claw.

Why are they following us? Amanda thought to herself and then she realized it was her leg! The tyrannosaurs probably had a good sense of smell and could have been tracking the group for a while now. If only she had something to mask the smell of blood.

Amanda quickly jumped over what seemed like a fallen tree and continued onward. Suddenly a loud metallic twang filled the air, quickly followed by a deafening roar. Silver Claw cleared the bushes first and found himself in front of a large structure, though he did not stop. Him and Amanda quickly climbed the flight of stairs in front of the building and pushed through the heavy doors. Amanda suddenly found herself unable to move ahead anymore. She turned her head and to her horror, a tyrannosaur had her shirt in its mouth…

* * *

Meanwhile Sunayana and Ellie slowed their pace. The tyrannosaurs had not followed them in the chase and they now felt safe enough to rest. Ellie leaned against a tree while Sunayana panted nearby.

"That was too close." Sunayana sighed.

"Yeah, I can't believe we made it out of that alive." Ellie sighed then sank to the ground. Suddenly Ellie realized that she was alone in the jungle with a velociraptor that could kill her if it wanted to. Ellie suddenly began to shake slightly and her muscles became tense.

"What's wrong?" Sunayana asked, lowering her head and approaching slowly.

"Uh…nothing…" Ellie said, "Stay away please."

"What?" Sunayana questioned and tilted her head, "What's wrong."

"You may not have noticed but uh… I am not the most comfortable with… raptors." Ellie replied.

"Why?" Sunayana questioned. "But is Silver Claw not your friend?"

"Yes… and no." Ellie admitted, "I don't trust him completely."

"Why, you've been with him a very long time haven't you?" Sunayana again question.

"Well I…" Ellie started to say but a loud scream interrupted her. "That was Amanda!"

Ellie hesitated for a moment then ran past Sunayana and towards the scream. Sunayana quickly caught up and ran along side Ellie, staying close to her side. A loud roar suddenly shook the jungle and suddenly Ellie found herself thrown back…

* * *

Amanda struggled to free herself as the tyrannosaurus slowly began to drag its head out of the doorway. Amanda lost her balance and fell to the ground, cutting her left leg on a shard of grass. She screamed in pain as the blood began to seep out over the floor. Suddenly Amanda heard a loud rip and turned to see her shirt torn and the rex reaching once more for her.

All of a sudden, Silver Claw leapt past Amanda and onto the snout of the rex. He began to kick ferociously and blood streamed from the gaping wounds. The rex roared in agony and attempted to grab a hold of Silver Claw's tail. Amanda took this opportunity to move out of reach.

"I'm safe!" Amanda almost screamed to get her voice over the commotion. "Get away from it before you get hurt!"

Silver Claw jumped off the tyrannosaurus and landed close to Amanda. He winced in pain but shook it off. They watched as the tyrannosaur struggled to free its massive head from the doorway, roaring in anger and snapping several metal door beams. Finally, the rex managed to get free and a second tyrannosaur roared in fury that they now had no food. Both tyrannosaurs were a brownish green in color. One of the tyrannosaurs was obviously taller and seemed more aggressive while the other, nervous and cautious around the large animal. Amanda immediately recognized the smaller animal with the long gash down one side of its face.

"That smaller rex is the one that attacked us in the jeep and last night." Amanda pointed out then turned to Silver Claw. "Are you ok?"

"Yes but you are not…" Silver Claw said and lowered his head to examine Amanda's leg.

"Oh… I'm out of bandages though…" Amanda sighed, "Maybe there are some in this building."

A loud roar turned there attention back to the rexes which had nearly disappeared into the jungle. The large tails swung over the lot but soon too disappeared into the jungle.

Amanda and Silver Claw began to search the old building. They quickly walked down one of the filthy halls to the left of the doors. The only sources of light, holes in the roof with heavy iron bars barely lit the old building. The hall gradually widened and soon they were in a corridor that opened into several more passageways, each with a labeled sign. Amanda turned down the hall labeled "Medical Department" and before long stopped at a door labeled Storage.

"Maybe we'll find some thing in here," Amanda said and opened the door. She screamed…

* * *

Ellie found herself thrown to the ground. She screamed and tried to free herself but to no avail. A hot putrid breath covered her face and Ellie looked to see a drooling, gaping maw filled with long sharp teeth hovering over her. Again, she screamed and tried to push the creature off her but it was no use. "Help me!" She screamed and attempted to push the animal off once more but the weight was too much. Suddenly the creature lifted its head and Ellie immediately recognized it as the raptor that bit Amanda. His red eyes stared straight into Ellie's eyes. She suddenly felt sick.

"Get off her Talon." Sunayana hissed.

"Why should I?" He hissed back, "I should have killed both of the _humans_ when I had the chance."

"I order you to get of her," Sunayana growled.

"Your father isn't here to make me do anything," Talon snapped.

"As a higher ranking member of the pack I order you to get off her immediately!" Sunayana snapped.

"No," Talon only replied and turned back to Ellie. He raised his claw above her stomach and was about to dig it in when a sharp pain coursed through his neck.

"Get off… or I will kill you," mumbled Sunayana, keeping her jaws tight around his neck.

Talon tried to pull away but Sunayana only tightened her grip. He hissed in protest and tapped Ellie's skin with his claw. Reluctantly he stepped off the trembling Ellie and stood quietly until Sunayana released him. "Why are you protecting her?"

"She seems nice and I would like to know more about humans." Sunayana replied, licking the blood from her lower jaw. "And anyways, my father, the alpha male if you've forgotten, said that we were to let them live here unless they came to close to our nest."

"I think that this is too close to our nests," Talon smirked and prepared to pounce.

"Go home Talon before I tell my father." Sunayana hissed.

Talon hissed and quickly disappeared into the jungle. Sunayana let out a satisfactory snort and turn to Ellie. Slowly she reached down, grabbed a part of Ellie's shirt, and lifted until Ellie was on her feet. Finally, Sunayana did a quick inspection to check it Ellie was wounded.

"Thank you…" Ellie nervously said, trying to keep here balance as she was shaking so much. "I guess I owe you one."

"You're welcome Ellie," Sunayana said softly, "Let's hurry and find Amanda and Silver Claw."

Ellie quickly followed Sunayana into the jungle. She kept a constant eye on the jungle to make sure that nothing else jumped out at her. Before long, the jungle thinned and a large concrete barrier slowed Ellie down while she had to climb over. Soon they emerged from the jungle beside the complex. A single rusty door hung loosely from the wall and an old iron set of stairs lead up to the open door.

"Should we go inside?" Ellie questioned.

"I guess we could." Sunayana replied and cautiously stepped over to and up the stairs. She peered around the corned and into the poorly lit room. "It's safe to go in."

"Ok," Ellie said and quickly followed Sunayana into the room. "Wow it is dark in here."

They walked further into the room, tall shelves, stocked with boxes, stood in rows, long florescent bulbs lined the roof, and a draft came from small ventilation ducts. Ellie was about to open the door at the end of the room when the handle started to move. Ellie quickly moved behind Sunayana. Sunayana tensed her muscles, lowered her body, and prepared to pounce at what ever came through. The door soon opened and before she even saw what it was Sunayana let out a terrifyingly loud roar. A scream filled the room. Silver Claw bound around the corner and just stopped short of biting into Sunayana.

"Amanda you're ok!" Ellie shouted and quickly embraced Amanda in a hug.

"Yeah I am thanks to Silver Claw," Amanda explained although still trying to catch her breath, "he attacked the rex before it grabbed me."

"Thank goodness you're alright," Ellie sighed then felt something trickle down her leg. "You're bleeding!"

"Yeah, I fell and cut myself." Amanda explained and added, "That's why I came here to find some bandages."

"We came here looking for you when we heard the scream." Ellie said, "We would have been here sooner but I was attacked by the raptor that bit you."

Silver Claw growled in frustration and anger. "How dare that hatchling!"

"What?" Amanda said in shock "But we are allowed to stay her unharmed aren't we?"

"Yes you are." Sunayana sighed, "Though some of our members think otherwise."

"They don't know that many words yet," Silver Claw admitted, "Though they should learn them soon."

"Oh," Sunayana replied.

Amanda took this time to walk slowly along the rows of shelves until soon found a box of bandages. Amanda cleaned the wound of any remaining debris and quickly bandaged the cut. "Ok we can go if you want."

"Can we stay here the night?" Ellie asked, "It would take too long to go back to that cave."

Amanda looked at Silver Claw. "Can we stay? It is getting late."

"Ok," Silver Claw replied.

"Thank you," Ellie and Amanda both said in raptor.

"I should be going," Sunayana said and turned to the exit.

"If you want you can stay here the night," Ellie said.

Amanda and Silver Claw both looked at Ellie in surprise. "You've never like to have a velociraptor around, even after several weeks. What makes her different?" Amanda asked in complete surprise.

"She saved me from that other raptor," Ellie replied, "and she is very kind."

"Well I guess I could stay the night if it's ok with you." Sunayana said although surprised by the offer by Ellie.

"Yes, you can stay the night," Amanda replied.

"Thank you," Sunayana replied, "I just have to tell my father."

"Ok," Silver Claw said and watched as Sunayana walked to the exit.

Sunayana tilted her head up and barked several loud calls into the air. Soon a replied drifted from the south and Sunayana walked back to the group. "My father said that I can stay the night."

"Um… I don't want to intrude on anything but do you know where the bathrooms are?" Ellie asked and blushed with embarrassment.

"I think I saw them on the way here." Amanda said and gestured for them to follow.

"That's good." Ellie said and quickly followed.

The passed several room and soon came upon the men's room. Ellie glared at Amanda. "I thought you meant the lady's room not the men's room, I don't want to go in there." Ellie said.

"Oh well then," Amanda said and walked in and within a few minutes walked out. "There is toilet paper and running water in there just so you know."

"Really," Ellie said in surprise, "…I'll be right back then…" She quickly walked into the bathroom and all became quiet.

"So…" Amanda said to break the awkward silence, "Should we sleep on the roof tonight or in a room."

"Not the roof," Sunayana quickly replied, "There are creatures that soar through the air like birds but attack anything in sight. They showed up last year in the northern part of our territory and have spread south ever since."

"So are we going on the roof?" Amanda asked.

"No," Silver Claw replied, "Dangerous."

"What are you talking about?" Ellie asked as she walked out of the restroom.

"We're trying to decide where to sleep tonight." Amanda said.

"Maybe we should have a look around before we decide that." Ellie said and started down the hall.

Amanda and the two raptors soon followed Ellie. Before long, the group reached the main entrance overlooking a darkened parking lot. At the rooms center, a large reception desk with papers strewn about, a computer, office chair, and a phone. Several labeled halls went in separate direction, Medical Center behind the group, Factory to the left, and Storage and Animal Control at the far end of the room.

"I wonder…" Ellie said and stepped over to the phone. She took in a deep breath and picked it up… nothing. "Well this is one less way we're going to get off this island," Ellie sighed and hung up the phone.

"Well it was worth a shot," Amanda said, "I think we should go to the storage area."

"Ok," Silver Claw said and stepped passed Ellie. Amanda, Sunayana and Ellie quickly followed behind.

Ellie yawned slightly and rubbed her eyes. Suddenly she felt something hit her and looked at her waist. A large black substance of a sickly looking liquid with a foul smell covered part of her shirt and shorts. Ellie reached for the liquid but Sunayana grabbed her hand. Ellie looked at Sunayana fearfully when another black ball of the same substance flew pass Amanda followed by a soft hoot.

"Run!"

Suddenly there was a loud snap and a single dilophosaurus burst from the trees. Ellie was the first to flee down the hall, followed by Amanda, Silver Claw then Sunayana. They turned corned after corned in an attempt to escape the dilophosaurus, though it was never far behind. The quickly climbed a small stairwell but the hall at the top stopped and a large metal door was the only exit. Amanda ran ahead and pushed on the lever to open the door but the hinges were heavy with rust.

"Ellie could you give me a hand with this?" Amanda said as she struggled to move heavy door.

Ellie quickly rammed the door and winced in pain. Both she and Amanda put their full weight against the door, causing it to move slightly. The loud clicking of the dilophosaur's claws quickly grew louder. The door suddenly gave way and swung open. Amanda and Ellie quickly entered the room on the other side, Silver Claw and Sunayana had not noticed but were preparing to fight.

"Get in here," said Amanda just as the dilophosaurus reached the top of the stairs.

Sunayana and Silver Claw darted into the room and Amanda and Ellie pushed the door shut. Amanda swiftly slid a metal bar across the front and sighed. Bang! The door shook with a tremendous force as dinosaur smashed into the door. After several more failed attempts, the dilophosaurus roared in anger and walked away.

"That was close…" Ellie sighed and looked at the black blob on her shirt, "Now what is this?"

"Dangerous," Silver Claw said.

"What is it, a poison?" Amanda questioned.

"Yes," Sunayana replied.

Ellie's eyes went wide. "Poison…" her lips trembled. "Get it off me!"

"Calm down Ellie," Amanda said, "you're just going to have to be careful and take the clothing off."

"No!" Ellie shrieked, "I'm not standing in my underwear."

Amanda sighed, "We're going to find you some cloths."

"I don't care! I am not taking my cloths off."

"Yeah we got that," Amanda said, "Wait here while I go and get something."

"From where, if you haven't notice this place has no gift shop that I can see."

Amanda turned around. They were in a long hallway linking two large structures. The walls and roof of the hall were solid glass while the floor concrete. Amanda walked over and put her hands on a rail that ran the entire length of the hall. She looked at the ground several meters below. Large vines crept their way up the walls from the dirt and towards the roof. Amanda turned her gaze upward and saw only jungle at either end of the space between structures.

"We it could be worse." Amanda admitted, "Maybe there is some storage over here."

"I hope." Sunayana sighed.

Amanda was the first to walk down the hall and soon the four reached the other end. A sign at the top of the doorway read "Animal Containment and Storage Warehouses." Amanda pushed open the door with relative ease and walked through.

The hall beyond was dark, the only visible light, a small red light at the far end of the hall. Cautiously they made their way down the hallway until they reached the light. Ellie reached out and felt around, finding a control panel. She pressed a button and a loud hum filled the entire hall. There was a loud clink and a large angled metal sheet began to lift upward, slowly exposing the remains of a window. After several minute, the metal stopped with a loud thud.

"Wow," Ellie said as she stared outward and the room beyond the broken windows.

The room beyond was half the size of a football field. Large trees grew along a small stream that meandered its way through the room, long grasses filled the space away from the water, and several large boulders lay scattered about to fields of grass. The roof of the room allowed light in through massive sheets of glass; a large set of pipes ran along the center of the roof and spread out every few meters along the edges of the glass sheets. The walls were solid concrete and smooth, the only change was on the far side of the room where a massive closed door sat and a pipe that allowed the stream to flow into the area.

"What do you think was in here?" Ellie asked, awestruck at the sight.

"This is probably one of the warehouses where the kept dinosaurs before moving them, I think there are four others like it." Amanda replied.

"What do you think happened to this window?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know. It looks like something broke into the room and not out." Amanda replied and stepped forward. A snap sounded from under Amanda's foot and she look down. Amanda could not see what it was so lowered herself to get a better look. She felt like throwing up at what she saw, underneath her foot was a watch and the bones from someone's hand.

"What is it?" Ellie asked then she saw the bones, "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Those are just bones of a human, what's the problem?" Sunayana asked Silver Claw.

"I don't know but they don't like seeing the remains of other humans." Silver Claw replied.

"Oh," Sunayana said and walked over the window frame and looked down. "Well they won't want to look down here then."

"What's down there?"

"Several bodies and the remains of a raptor," Sunayana answered.

Silver Claw quickly moved between Amanda and the window. Amanda and Ellie did not head towards the window but instead back towards the link between the buildings. They quickly walked two the center of the hall and Amanda sat down, staring at the jungle.

"What are we going to do?" Amanda sadly asked, "that black stuff might be able to absorb through your skin and if that happens…"

"I know… I know…" Ellie sighed and sank to the ground next to Amanda.

"Do you think we should open that door?" Amanda asked. "And hope that the dinosaur is gone."

"I don't know," Ellie sighed and rubbed her eyes, "I'm too tired to do anymore running."

"Yeah I know what you mean; I don't think I could run away from anything else tonight." Amanda sighed, "Are you sure you don't want to just take it off and we could get something for you in the morning?"

"Yes I'm sure!" Ellie said.

Silver Claw sighed and walked to the door at the far side and listened for any noise on the other side. He tapped the door with a claw and suddenly the door shook in a thunderous crash. A loud hoot followed by a hiss sounded from the other side and silence overcame the area again.

"It's still their!" Ellie said in shock and looked down, "I'm going to die aren't I?"

"Don't talk like that Ellie, you're going to be fine, let's see if there is a light switch for the room over there."

"Go ahead; I'm just going to sit here."

"Why didn't we bring the bags…?" Amanda mumbled, "Silver Claw could you come with me for a second?"

"Yes," Silver Claw answered and quickly caught up to Amanda.

Once both Amanda and Silver Claw were in the room, Amanda searched around for a light switch. Once she found the light switch, she flicked it on. The lights turned on without a problem and Amanda closed the door.

"What are we going to do?" Amanda said and pulled on her hair slightly. "I'm so frustrated with Ellie right now."

"I don't know," Silver Claw replied and tried to comfort Amanda. He gently nudged her chin slightly and sat down in front of her. Amanda sank to the ground as well and started to cry.

"Is that black stuff lethal?" Amanda asked.

"Yes," Silver Claw sadly replied and lowered his feathers.

"I don't want to lose anyone else," Amanda cried and wrapped her arms around Silver Claw.

"I know, I don't either," Silver Claw sighed and gently rubbed his head against Amanda.

Amanda let go of Silver Claw and said, "Ellie's so stubborn that she won't get rid of the cloths even if she's going to die because of them."

Silver Claw placed his right hand on Amanda's leg. Silver Claw hated to see Amanda like this but what could he do to help. I feel so helpless right now, he though, Ellie could die and I cannot do anything to help. He lowered his head, resting it on Amanda's lap.

Amanda suddenly got an idea. "Silver Claw, how warm are you during the night, by that I mean your body temperature."

"I don't know," replied Silver Claw as he stared at her in confusion. "Why?"

I was thinking… since Ellie is too stubborn to get rid of her clothing without a replacement," Amanda said although she knew she would regret the rest. "Maybe I could… uh give her mine… and um… uh… you could keep me warm because it… is getting a little cool out..." By the time she finished Amanda was glowing cherry red with embarrassment.

Silver Claw stared at Amanda for a moment and nodded. He gently licked the side of her face and she laughed.

"Thank you Silver Claw," Amanda said and embraced him in a hug again. "I just hope it doesn't get too cold tonight."

"I do too."

"Where do you think we should sleep tonight?" Amanda asked, "in that hall would be nice, we could see the stars but it might be colder."

"Where ever you want to." Silver Claw smiled and rubbed his head against Amanda.

"If it gets too cold out there we could come in here, though by the feels of it, it might not make a difference."

"Ok," Silver Claw said and stood up as did Amanda.

"I'm just going to tell Ellie first," said Amanda then she opened the door.

"I was wondering what you two were doing in there," Ellie said, "Why are you so red?"

"Silver Claw and I have made an agreement and we have some cloths for you Ellie." Amanda said.

"Where did you find the cloths?" Ellie asked but before Amanda could answer Ellie added, "They aren't off some dead body are they?"

Amanda shook her head, "No, they're mine. Silver Claw has agreed to try and keep me warm tonight."

"You're going to be naked?" Ellie said, sickened at the idea.

"No!" Amanda said defensively. "I don't see you coming up with anything better anyway!"

"Well I guess not." Ellie sighed, "I guess so…"

Amanda and Ellie quickly when into the room and closed the door.

"That was strange…" Sunayana said, "So what exactly are you doing?"

"I'm just going to keep her warm for the night until she can find some cloths tomorrow." Silver Claw replied.

"Oh… what would happen if she got cold?" Sunayana asked.

"Amanda would get sick I think but I don't want to risk that." Silver Claw replied before lying down on the floor.

Sunayana sat down next to him, "So what was your home like before you came here?"

"Before the spinosaurus attack or after it," Silver Claw questioned.

"After, what is it like having humans around instead of other raptors?"

"Well if first found Amanda we traveled around in different areas until we ended up back in the building in my territory. She did not trust me at all then; it was funny to see her reaction to whatever I did. Then we found Ellie," Silver Claw smirked. "She didn't trust me one bit. Amanda was constantly standing up for me. She even shot one raptor. Eventually then fence surrounding the building was destroyed so we came up here."

"She shot one of our kind… who was it?" Sunayana questioned.

"She shot…" Silver Claw started then turned his head and hissed, "Tyrannous."

"This Tyrannous sounds really bad, what did he do?" Sunayana asked, "Please answer this time."

"You know about the territorial battles," Silver Claw questioned before continuing.

"Yeah, shortly after the humans left all the packs of the island fought with each other for control of the biggest territories, right?"

"Yeah, well the territory I tried to claim earlier was the one my pack once tried to take because of its better nesting areas. We left my father and a young female back in our old territory to guard the eggs that had not hatched yet while the rest of the pack moved off to claim the new area for our own. Tyrannous was a traitor in the eyes of his pack and banished from the territory. Unfortunately, we found him and offered him a home if he helped us take down his old pack. For his help a female of our pack offered to be his mate if everything went according to plan." Silver Claw sighed, "We were winning the battles time after time until we reached the cliffs on the other side of the lake. Tyrannous showed his true intentions then; he slit the throat of the young female that offered to be his mate and blamed it on the enemy. Next he pulled my mother away from the main group to talk with her in private, my sibling and I followed our mother…"

"Take your time," Sunayana comforted.

"Tyrannous showed her a spot by the cliff and made sure my family was watching when he… he… sliced my mothers leg down the center. She fell to the ground and nearly fell off the cliff. Tyrannous took this chance to kill my sibling in front of my mother and eat some of them. Luckily, I managed to hide before he got me. My mother screamed but we were too far away for any help to arrive in time. He pushed her off the edge of the cliff but my mother got one kick in before she fell, scarring him over one eye. Later, the carnotaurus got Tyrannous's pack but he blamed us for it. When we returned to our nests, our eggs were gone and my father and the female were dead. Tyrannous had beaten us back, killed them both and eaten our eggs."

"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry Silver Claw." Sunayana whimpered, "I didn't know that it was that painful for you…"

"Well I'm happy to be rid of those cloths," Ellie said and stretched her arms. She quickly sat down near Sunayana and soon fell asleep.

Silver Claw looked up, "Amanda?"

"I'm here, it's just so cold with out anything but my…" She trailed off.

Silver Claw watched as Amanda walked out from behind the door. Amanda's arms crossed her chest and she was shaking slightly. She quickly moved over to Silver Claw and laid down next to him, gently resting her head on his stomach. Silver Claw curled up, placing his head on her stomach and his tail over her legs. Her shivering soon stopped and Amanda slowly drifted of to sleep. Silver Claw hummed softly until he too was asleep.

Sunayana looked at the two; she must really be something to make him that happy. She soon turned her gaze to the sky, the stars were out in full bloom, lighting up the night sky in millions of tiny lights like fireflies in a field. Sunayana felt her eyes become heavy and soon fell asleep…


	12. A dreadful, dreadful day

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 12: A dreadful, dreadful day

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author Note: Sorry that is has taken so long to update, I've had exams to study for and school is nearly over. As always, I want to hear what you have to say. R&R.

Amanda slowly awoke; the warmth of the morning sun brought welcome warmth to her face. Her head slowly rose and fell with every breath Silver Claw took. Amanda smiled and opened her eyes slowly, small wisps of cloud drifted through the air in the sky above. Amanda tilted her head to look at Silver Claw but something obstructed her view, a blanket, thick and heavy with an interwoven design of red and blue lines.

"Where did this come from?" Amanda mumbled.

"Ellie and I went and got it last night," a female voice said.

Amanda turned to see Sunayana looking at her. Her white scales glittered in the morning light and her amber eyes shined in a hypnotic glow. She was lying on her side with her legs stretched out but her chest was flat, her arms stretched out in front of her body and her neck craned upward. Sunayana yawned and shifted her jaw slightly.

"Good morning," Amanda said in raptor, "How are you?"

"Fine," she yawned and slowly stood up.

"How do you say your name?" Amanda asked, "I would like to call you by name rather than raptor or something else."

"Sunayana," she said softly and reached for Ellie. Amanda made several attempts to say it correctly and soon succeeded. Sunayana meanwhile grabbed some cloths from under Ellie's arm and walked over to Amanda. She gently placed a bundle of clothing on the floor and stepped away.

"Thank you," Amanda said and gently moved out from under Silver Claw, allowing his head and tail to gently slide to the floor. She wrapped the blanket around herself and leaned over, grabbing the clothing. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to change," Amanda said and walked into the warehouse.

Sunayana sighed. These humans are interesting creatures, she thought and turned to Ellie, examining her. She does not seem to have large muscles or teeth and she defiantly cannot hunt with those hands and feet. I wonder if she can hunt at all or if she ever will even with help.

Sunayana looked to the sky to see a flock of white birds fly overhead, their soft calls drifted through the air. She watched the birds as the gracefully disappeared into the golden horizon. Sunayana rested her body on the floor and hummed softly as the light warmed her body.

Amanda emerged from the warehouse in the clothing. Large grey shorts covered some of the bandage on her leg while a baggy forest green t-shirt covered her body. The blanket, Amanda had draped over her right shoulder. "How do I look?"

Sunayana tilted her head, "What?"

"Do these cloths look ok on me?" Amanda asked.

"Why?" Sunayana asked.

"I was just wondering if I looked good it these or if we should find some different later…" Amanda said but when Sunayana stared at her blankly she added, "Never mind."

Amanda sat down near Silver Claw and leaned against the glass, calmly watching Sunayana as she basked in the sunlight. Amanda yawned slightly and turned her gaze towards the ground below the elevated hall.

A few dozen small, two legged creatures with a tiny frill at the back of their head were scurrying down the gap between the buildings, behind them a larger carnivore was in pursuit. It stood waist high on two long legs, its shorter forearms tucked against its body, and its head looked somewhat like a velociraptor skull but with a narrow red crest that looked almost like a horn, sat on the front of the snout. A large red spot surrounded its eyes and feathers on the back of the head stood on end.

"There's an ornitholestes chasing some small dinosaurs over here." Amanda said.

Sunayana glanced over but quickly went back to relaxing in the sun. Amanda watched as the ornitholestes lunged forward and grabbed one of the fleeing animals. The small animal cried out in freight and struggled to free itself from the toothy maw that held it. The ornitholestes suddenly snapped its head to the left, releasing the animal in the process. The microceratops hit a wall with a tremendous force and quickly dropped to the ground. Its limp body sat unmoved until the ornitholestes picked it up once more but with its hands. It scanned the area before digging into the tiny morsel, tearing small chucks of flesh off with every bite.

Wow, Amanda thought, before I arrived on this island I would have been sick at the sight of all that blood and that animal ripped to pieces but now… I have changed, Amanda suddenly realized. I have gone from being a rich city girl to eating raw meat on an island inhabited by dinosaurs. A tear formed in her eye but Amanda quickly brushed it away.

She turned back and watched Silver Claw as he slept. He seem so peaceful right now, Amanda gently placed her hand on his head and gently stroked a spot behind the feathers. She smiled, he is the greatest friend anyone could hope have, thoughtful, friendly, loyal and smart.

He suddenly stirred and slowly opened his eyes, "Good morning Amanda."

"Good morning Silver Claw," She replied in raptor, "sleep well?"

"Yes," Silver Claw replied then reached out and grabbed her shirt, tugging it slightly before returning his head to his side.

"Oh, Ellie and Sunayana got it for me last night," said Amanda in raptor.

"Ok," Silver Claw said and tilted his head slightly.

"Do you like them?" Amanda asked.

"Yes I do." Silver Claw yawned before he stood up.

"Do you think we should wake Ellie up," Sunayana asked in a soft tone.

"Yeah we might as well; it will be a long walk back to the cave." Amanda said and slowly stood up, stretching he arms into the air. "Sunayana, do you want to wake her up."

"Yeah, I guess," Sunayana said and slowly stood up. "Ellie, Ellie wake up," Sunayana said softly as she gently nudged Ellie's arm.

Ellie flinched slightly and slowly opened her eyes. "Good morning Sunayana," she said in raptor, "It's time to go already?"

"Yes," Sunayana replied and helped Ellie up.

"Good morning Amanda, good morning Silver Claw," Ellie said in a perky tone.

"What are you so happy about?" Amanda questioned.

"We found a bunker last night when we got you cloths, it has food, bathrooms, a computer, and most importantly it is dinosaur proof. Nothing on this island could get through those walls." Ellie replied, "I was thinking we might stay there from now on."

"But the cave is our home now," Amanda said, "our stuff is there even."

"Did I mention it has four beds and a TV," Ellie added.

"I don't want to stay in this building, I like our cave," Amanda said, "and you're the one who wanted to find a cave in the first place."

"But now we can come in this territory without much trouble," Ellie exclaimed.

"Silver Claw," Amanda said and turned to him," Do you want to stay in this building or go back to our cave?"

"Cave," Silver Claw replied without any hesitation.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I'm going to stay here then."

"But Ellie," Amanda protested, "what if you're attacked by something and no one's around to help."

"I can stay in the bunker most of the time unless you or Sunayana are there," Ellie said, "I'm not going to change my mind either."

Amanda sighed, "alright but I'm heading home today so…"

Ellie shrugged and walked to the door opposite of the warehouse. She slide the door open and leaned against the frame. "Do you want to eat before you go?"

"Yeah," Amanda sighed, "where are we going?"

"There is a cafeteria or the gift shop," Ellie replied, "Do you want snacks or a cooked meal?"

"Cooked?" Amanda stammered. "There's a working stove here?"

"Yep, we found that out last night," Ellie smirked, "I wanted to do some exploring."

"Lead the way," Amanda gestured with her hands.

Ellie quickly walked down the hall, followed by Amanda, Silver Claw, and then Sunayana. Passing numerous closed doors and bulletin boards, the four walked down the winding halls. Large iron bar covered openings on the roof allowed light to filter into the musty hall, the light reached the floor in spots, exposing the footprints left by Ellie and Sunayana during the night.

"How far is it?" Amanda asked.

"Not too far away," Ellie answered, "only a few more turns."

They continued onward for several minutes until a large set of metal doors with small windows were the only way visible way out of the hall besides back. A rusty sign above the doorframe barely showed the letters for cafeteria. Ellie walked up to the doors and pushed them open.

The room was almost black, a few beams of light shone through windows at the top of the room, almost three stories up. An eerie mist clung to the ground, large tables sat in lines within sight, and in the far left corner of the room, a faint light streamed from a small circular window. Ellie started to step into the room when a loud click echoed through the air.

"What was that?" Ellie gasped.

A low hiss bounced off the walls of the room, distorting its source. Suddenly an object moved through a beam of light and disappeared back into the darkness. Ellie retreated behind Sunayana and looked around. A loud thud sounded through the air followed by a metal clicking. Silver Claw looked up from the base of the door, a large metal walkway ran the length of the room but they had failed to notice it.

"What is it?" Ellie stammered and backed farther away from the doors.

Silver Claw sniffed the air but could find no scent to tell what it was; only a sour fruit smell hung in the air. A chirp echoed from within the room followed by the creaking of a door. Silver Claw roared in frustration that he could not locate the creature in the dim light. Suddenly there was a loud scream.

Amanda was the first to turn around but only to find Ellie was gone. Amanda stepped back in disbelief. "Where is she?"

"Ellie," Silver Claw called out but there was not response. The same sour fruit smell lingered in the air where Ellie had been standing, but no hint of what creature was around. Amanda moved closer to Silver Claw.

"Ellie, this isn't funny, come out." Amanda yelled. Several tears formed in her eyes. Suddenly another scream, although muffled, came from the wall next to the group. Amanda rushed over to the wall and felt around to find a hole where a doorknob used to be. "There is a door here!"

Silver Claw charged the door, ending in him dropping to the ground. It was metal. Ellie screamed again from behind the door but it suddenly cut short. "No," Silver Claw mumbled and hit the door again but it would not budge. "No, no, no, NO!" he roared in furry. A loud snapping came from behind the wall, followed by what sounded like cloths ripped into pieces.

Sunayana watched in shock, unsure of what to do. Silver Claw hit the door again and the door moved outward slightly. Sunayana noticed this and quickly moved to the door. She pulled on it briefly and it slowly slid open.

Amanda burst into tears at what she saw. A corpse, ripped open and torn to pieces so horrifically that it was unidentifiable, lay in the center of the room. Blood pooled around the body and several boxes covered what looked like it might be the head. Shredded cloths lay like tattered blood stained rags around the body. Silver Claw began to tremble with anger and suddenly let out a deafening roar that would send anything running in fear.

"Who ever did this, will suffer for what they have done!" He roared, digging his claw into the floor.

Sunayana pushed the door shut, unsure how to feel. Ellie was kind of a friend to her as well, even though they did not know each other that well. Sunayana watched as Amanda wrapped her arms around Silver Claw and how cried against him. Sunayana looked down and slowly walked up to Amanda and placed her hand on Amanda's shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

"Why did she have to die," Amanda bawled.

Silver Claw pulled her in closer and turned his head behind hers. He whimpered loudly and closed his eyes. His head feathers became flat and his heart ached as it did when he was completely along in the jungle with no one left. Even though Ellie did not like him as much as he would have hoped for, they were still friends. Amanda and Ellie were even closer, the pain this must be causing her. He whimpered louder.

"We should go," Sunayana whimpered softly, "let's go to the bunker for now."

"Ok," Silver Claw sniveled. He slowly released Amanda from his grip and looked her in the eyes. His red eyes met with hers and he could feel her pain. Silver Claw gently rubbed his snout against her neck and tried to cheer her up but it useless.

Sunayana started to walk down the hall and gestured for them to follow her. Silver Claw gently nudged Amanda's shoulder and pointed with his snout at Sunayana. Amanda wiped away several tears and began to follow Sunayana. Silver Claw lingered for a moment and followed close behind Amanda.

They slowly made there way down the twisting halls, past dozens of doors and finally found themselves in font of a large steel door surrounded by a concrete wall. Sunayana walked over to a panel and pressed the button Ellie had press to open the door during the night. With an electronic click, the door unlocked and Sunayana pushed it open.

A musty wave of air bellowed from the room, rows of lights flickered on, one after the other, allowing the entire room to be clearly seen. Large boxes piled on top of each other in one corner of the large room while shelves crammed into another. Four beds sat in the center of the room with white sheets draped overtop. As they entered, the kitchen and food stocks became visible to their right while a large cabinet sat on the wall to the left.

Amanda rushed over to one of the beds and threw herself on it. She cried louder than before and turned over. Silver Claw quietly walked over, set down next to her, and placed one of his hands on her chest. He gently licked her cheek and hummed in a low sad tone.

Sunayana watched and looked down. She closed the door and turned back around to face Amanda and Silver Claw. Sunayana felt a tremor course through her body but brushed it aside. She quietly walked over and set down on a bed next to Amanda's bed. The only thing she could do was sleep…

Amanda continued to cry. She wrapped her arms around Silver Claw's neck and pulled him closer. He did not struggle, even though Amanda had him a little too tight for his comfort. Silver Claw licked her cheek again and rested his head next to hers.

Finally, after hours of crying, Amanda stopped and said, "She was my only human friend left Silver Claw."

"I know," Silver Claw replied softly.

"Why does everyone close to me die?" Amanda said and began to cry as another wave of tears flooded from her eyes.

"No they don't," Silver Claw replied with the only words that might help comfort her.

"Yes they do, if I were you I might go away before you get hurt," Amanda cried.

"Never Amanda, you are my friend and I…" Silver Claw said but Amanda did not catch the end.

Amanda tightened her grip on him, "Thank you, I just can't believe she's gone…"

"I know." Silver Claw sighed and gently moved his tail over her legs to keep them warm.

"I think I'm going to sleep for a bit… ok?" Amanda sniffled.

"Of course Amanda." He replied began to hum softly.

"Could I rest my head on your side…?" Amanda said, brushed tears of her face, and admitted, "It's rather comfortable."

"Anything," Silver Claw answered and shifted himself so Amanda could rest her head on his side.

Amanda slowly closed her sore eyes and listened to Silver Claw's delightful humming. "Goodnight… Silver Claw," Amanda said in raptor before dozing off.

Silver Claw looked at Amanda as she slept, her hair draped over her face in wavy columns and her cheeks glowed in a brilliant wet red. I hope she never has to suffer like this again, Silver Claw thought, I will do every thing I can to make sure that no one you care for are harmed ever again, I promise…

A few days later, only Silver Claw and Amanda remained in the bunker. Sunayana left the day after Ellie died and had not returned since. The food in the bunker had begun to run low, due to the amount of inedible food that that had expired long ago, but there were still a few days worth left.

"Silver Claw, I was wondering if we could leave this place and go back to the cave," Amanda said completely in raptor. Over the last few days between crying over Ellie's death and occasionally eating, her vocabulary had nearly tripled and she was beginning to understand the sounds associated with each letter of the alphabet.

"If you want to we can Amanda, it's your choice where we go." Silver Claw replied as he chewed on a candy bar.

"Ok then lets go back today then, I'm getting sick of the stale air in here," Amanda proudly said in raptor.

Silver Claw quickly tossed back the remainder of the bar and stood up, as did Amanda. She gently pet his head then walked over to the panel. With a click, the door opened slightly and Amanda pulled it open. Silver Claw gently bushed up against her as he walked out the door and she soon followed him after she grabbed a knife and its casing.

"Which way do you want to go?" Silver Claw asked.

"Let's… go… through the factory," Amanda said and turned down the hall labeled Factory and Research center. She brushed away several tears that began to roll down her cheek. They passed several long corridors until a large heavyset steel door blocked their way. Amanda pushed on it slightly; the door creaked and fell off its hinges, crashing to the ground in a thunderous bang.

"Way… to… go," Silver Claw joked and stepped onto the door.

Amanda rolled her eyes and followed him down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom, Amanda had to stop. The room before her was vast with machines everywhere. Tables containing broken eggs lined the outer edge of the area, two large conveyer belts ran the length of the room, large syringe tipped robotic arms hung from the roof, and a large tank of a grey liquid sat at the end of the room.

Silver Claw and Amanda weaved in and out of the tables and machinery as they made their way to the far side of the room. Eggshells littered the ground and occasionally would brake under foot.

"This place is huge," Amanda said.

"Yeah I know," Silver Claw said, keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding area.

"I wonder what that tank has in it," Amanda said and walked over to where a sign was at the base. She knelt by it and brushed of the dirt. It read:

Nanotechnology version 10

Nanite DNA amplification and Structural Repair

Do not mix DNA samples with liquid

"I wonder what that all means?" Amanda question after she read it aloud for Silver Claw.

"DNA," Silver Claw said with a puzzled expression on his face.

"It's… uh how would I explain it…" Amanda started as she tried to think of the right words. "It's what makes you a raptor while for me, a human and stuff like that… I think. I didn't pay attention in science class too much so I couldn't tell you much more than that."

"Oh…" Silver Claw said in response and turned towards a door.

Amanda looked at the sign for a moment, several tears rolled down her cheeks but she brushed them aside. Amanda quickly followed Silver Claw and soon they were walking down another hall.

"What do you want to do once we're home?" Amanda asked.

"Rest," Silver Claw replied.

"Yeah I guess so, it'll be a long walk their." Amanda sighed, "I wish Ellie was here."

"I know. I miss her too." Silver Claw sighed, "I only wish I knew her better that I did."

"Ellie liked you, you should know." Amanda reassured, "Even though she never showed it, she did think of you as a friend."

"Really," Silver Claw questioned.

"Yeah," Amanda said and placed her hand on his back.

They soon reached an exit an Amanda pushed open the door. Light flooded into the hall, blinding both Amanda and Silver Claw. Amanda sheltered her eyes from the light until they adjusted and she took in a deep breath.

"It feels good to have fresh air, doesn't it?" Amanda said and looked to Silver Claw.

"Yeah it does, though the sunlight is a little much."

Amanda stared at the dense jungle only a few meters away. The large trees and ferns made it impossible to see past the edge of the tree line. A dirt path lined the edge of the building; small tracks clearly marked the ground. To the far left, the stairs where Amanda and Silver Claw out ran the Tyrannosaurs while to the far right, the door where Ellie and Sunayana entered the building.

A large dragonfly buzzed in front of Amanda briefly then flew away as light breeze snaked out of the jungle. Amanda smiled slightly, the wind felt relaxing as it swayed her hair and press against her cheek. Low deep cries of the brachiosaurs echoed from the distant lake and through the valley.

Silver Claw briefly sniffed the air and stepped down the stairs, walking into the jungle. Amanda watched him disappear and quickly followed. She pushed aside wet ferns so that they would not hit her face and soon found Silver Claw's tail. Amanda placed her hand on his back as a way to keep herself from getting lost in this unusually thick area of jungle.

Before long, the jungle became thinner and tall thinner trees towered instead of thicker trees. Damp leaves and soil clung to Amanda's shoes, water droplets seeped in through the hole in them. A lizard scampered up into a tree as Amanda and Silver Claw passed by.

"I hope we can find some food on the way to the cave," Silver Claw said.

"Ten candy bars weren't enough for you?" Amanda asked in a joking sarcastic tone.

"No, I think a compy would be enough though." Silver Claw replied.

"How's your leg?" Amanda asked.

"No pain anymore," Silver Claw replied.

"Can I check it while I'm remembering it?"

"Sure," Silver Claw sighed and stopped walking.

Amanda bent over and examined the bandage before unwrapping it. The wound, nearly healed, was clear of infection and looked healthy, or at least to Amanda it did. "I don't think you need the bandage anymore Silver Claw, it looks almost healed."

"Alright," Silver Claw said and licked his leg slightly. "What about yours?"

"Oh yeah," Amanda said and started to unravel the bandage on her leg. The punctured skin where the raptor had bitten was healing well and the smaller holes were only a slight bump now. "I'm fine by the looks of it but is should keep the bandage on."

"Ok," Silver Claw sighed with relief. When she was finished with her bandage, Silver Claw grabbed the back of Amanda's shirt and pulled her to her feet.

"Thank you," Amanda said and walked forward, tossing Silver Claw's bandaging off into a bush.

Silver Claw and Amanda continued into the jungle. They came upon the fence and easily climbed over the concrete barrier at the base. The jungle looked as if it was out of place around the fence; the foliage seemed thinner that it should have been with the age of the area, possibly the area surrounding the fence was once clear but has since grown over. Before long started to go up hill as they reached the edge of the valley. The terrain was harder to walk on than it had been running from the tyrannosaurus and Amanda quickly tired.

"Do you want to rest?" Silver Claw asked.

"Yeah," Amanda said and plopped down on a log.

"There is not much further to go." Silver Claw sighed, "We can stop at the lake if you want."

"That would be nice." Amanda sighed, "We could go for a relaxing swim."

"If you want," Silver Claw said.

"It's your choice to, you know," Amanda said, "You can say if you don't want to do anything."

"I know," Silver Claw replied and lowered his body to the soft leaf littered ground below. "It doesn't matter what we do as long as you're safe there."

"And what about yourself," Amanda questioned. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing will, I can escape most things on this island." Silver Claw replied.

"I think this is the longest we've ever talked today," Amanda exclaimed. "And I'm doing it completely in raptor."

"I know. You're a quick learner." Silver Claw said softly, "I'm impressed."

"I had a good teacher," Amanda laughed, "I don't think I need to speak English anymore."

"Why?"

"I can understand most of the things you say and I can figure out the words I don't." Amanda replied, "Speaking raptor is more fun anyway."

"Yeah, and it's funny to hear your mistakes to." Silver Claw chuckled as he looked at her.

"Maybe you can teach me more about raptor life later, like games that you play and politics."

"Maybe," Silver Claw said. "There is a lot I don't know though."

"You know games though," Amanda said. "We need to have some fun. This past while has been stressful on us."

"Yeah, I know a few games…" Silver Claw sighed, "Sophia and I would play them while we were growing up."

"Who was Sophia?" Amanda asked, interested.

"Sophia was my best friend and only raptor in my pack that was the same age as me." Silver Claw replied and smiled as he remembered how much fun they had together.

"What kind of games did you play?" Amanda asked.

"We would hunt, play hid and seek in the jungle, and chase each other on the roof of that building we were in." Silver Claw said softly and his head feathers rose slightly.

Amanda suddenly saw a flash from when she was on the boat. The two animals silhouetted on the roof of the building. "I think I saw you and Sophia on the roof of the building before."

"What?" Silver Claw asked, shocked.

"A few days before you found me, were you and her on the roof of the building during the night?"

"Yeah we where, that night we got in trouble for it too." Silver Claw replied and chuckled slight when her remembered how the adults over reacted to that.

"Then I did see you, you seemed so happy with her too." Amanda said, leaning back slightly.

"Where were you?" Silver Claw asked, "I didn't smell you anywhere near there that night."

"I was on a boat nearby before the spinosaurus attacked us," Amanda said and looked down.

"What is a boat?" Silver Claw asked.

"It's a machine, like the jeep, but it floats on water." Amanda replied and looked up to see Silver Claw look downwards. "What is it?"

"I saw the entire thing," Silver Claw admitted in a low saddened tone.

"You saw the entire attack?" Amanda said, stunned that he witnessed her worst nightmare of a night.

"I'm sorry I didn't help." Silver Claw said, feeling guilty that he did nothing to help them.

"Why are you sorry? You couldn't have done anything to stop it; you didn't even know me then." Amanda said and placed her hand on his head. "You have no reason to be feeling bad about this."

"I know, I just do," Silver Claw admitted.

"Well don't… ok," Amanda smiled and lifted his chin up.

Silver Claw smiled slightly, "A swim would be nice."

"Yeah well we better get going then," Amanda said and stood up.

"Let's," Silver Claw said and followed Amanda up the hill.

The soon reached the top and Amanda sighed in relief. Silver Claw gazed back at the building for a moment. I will avenge you Ellie, he thought. Before long, he turned back to the jungle and walked along side Amanda.

Large guanacaste trees and conifers blocked most of the light from reaching the ground while in a few lighted areas large mushrooms grew in abundance. Loose soil and leaves covered the ground and the occasional pile of small stones over that. Several fallen trees lay on the ground. A small rodent scampered into its hole as Silver Claw and Amanda passed by.

A gently breeze twisted through the jungle, rustling the leaves in the trees. The faint smell of flowers drifted through the air but faded away just as fast as it came.

"This place is nice, wouldn't you say?" Amanda said as she looked into the distance.

"Yeah," Silver Claw sighed, "I hope nothing is hiding in here though."

"I hope so too, unless it's smaller than you and you can catch it." Amanda said.

Silver Claw sniffed the air but he could not smell anything, "Nothing I can smell."

"Oh, oh well." Amanda sighed.

Within a few hours of uneventful walking, they reached the tree line around the lake. The vast amounts of dinosaurs were nowhere in sight, but Sunayana and her pack were gorging themselves on a triceratops carcass at the fields center. Silver Claw looked at the carcass and licked his lips before turning to Amanda.

"Can we?" he asked, lowering his head slightly.

"I guess we could stop by and say hi," Amanda said jokingly.

Silver Claw perked up immediately and quickly walked towards the kill, soon followed by Amanda. They continued towards the kill unnoticed until they were only twenty meters away and Sunayana lifted her head.

"Hello Silver Claw, hello Amanda." Sunayana said as she licked the blood off her mouth.

"Hello Sunayana," Amanda replied in raptor.

Several of the pack members, including Talon, hissed and growled at Amanda. Sara and Jack paid no attention to this as they were having their fill of the meal. Sunayana barked at several but not all to be quiet.

"Sorry about them," Sunayana said as she walked up to Amanda, "I can't get the higher ranking members to be quiet."

"That's alright, it doesn't bother me." Amanda sighed.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't stay any longer than I did," Sunayana said, "My father wanted me home."

"Don't worry about it," Silver Claw said, watching the carcass intently. "We only just left the bunker and are heading back to our cave."

"Oh, and I see that you want some of our kill," Sunayana said.

"Tough candy bars are not a good meal for three days." Silver Claw confessed.

"You might be able to have some after were done but you shouldn't try and get any until we're done eating or you could get hurt." Sunayana said. "Several of the members would undoubtedly take the chance to attack you for trying to eat while they are.

Silver Claw nodded and lowered himself to the ground. Amanda sat down next to him and watched the pack as they ate. Sunayana stood by them for some time before returning to the kill.

Amanda sighed heavily as she watched one of the male raptors in particular that seemed to acting odd. It kept away from the bulk of the pack and did not seem to be like by the other members. Large scars covered his tail and a V shaped scar ran down both sides of his eyes from the top and bottom on both sides of his head, to the tip of his snout. Though he looked battered, his body was thick with muscles and he stood the same height of Silver Claw. His claws were jet black with white scratches clearly visible.

"What do you think happened to that raptor?" Amanda asked Silver Claw and pointed out the one she was looking at. "He looks a little beat up."

"He might be the lowest rank but I doubt it," Silver Claw said. "He looks too healthy to be that low in the pack order, he might be aggressive and likes to fight."

"He wasn't one of the raptors that hissed at me either," Amanda stated. "Maybe he likes humans."

"Maybe," Silver Claw replied as he examined the raptor. "We could ask Sunayana about him."

"Wouldn't that be rude though," Amanda exclaimed.

"If you want to talk to him, you could walk over and ask him some questions."

"Or not," Amanda responded as she watched him tear off a huge chunk of flesh and run off into the jungle.

Within several minutes, the pack finished their meal and relaxed in the tall grasses nearby. Amanda slowly stood up and followed Silver Claw to the kill. Suddenly a male and female raptor moved between Amanda and Silver Claw and hissed at Amanda.

"Stay away from our kill, _human_," Talon hissed.

"Get away from her," Silver Claw snarled at the two raptors.

"You have no authority over us," the female hissed.

"But I do," Sunayana said as she walked up to Amanda.

"Stay out of it," a voice said from the grass.

"But," Sunayana argued, seeing her father was the one who stopped her.

"They need to sort this out themselves but if you keep interfering they will never be respected by our pack." Jack commanded.

Sunayana lowered her head and back away from Amanda, lying down in the grass nearby incase anything did happen.

Talon grinned and looked to Silver Claw. "What are you going to do now that you are on your own?"

"Get away from her or you'll be sorry." Silver Claw snarled.

The female raptor moved between Talon and Silver Claw, "You will not harm him," She hissed.

"Now," Talon started and turned back to Amanda. He moved his head close enough so only he and Amanda could hear him. "How's Ellie." Tears formed in Amanda's eyes and she started to cry. Talon grinned, pleased and baring his teeth, he looked back to Silver Claw. "Oh gees, she's crying."

"What did you say?" Silver Claw demanded but Talon only tilted his head.

Talon laughed and tilted his head even more, "What are you going to do about it?"

Suddenly Talon yelped in pain and staggered to his left, bumping into the female. The entire pack looked on in amazement that Amanda attacked Talon and not Silver Claw. Talon hissed at her and raised his killing claws. Amanda put her left arm behind her back.

"You're going to pay for that cheap shot," Talon snarled and started to pace back and fourth in front of the female.

"What about when you attacked Ellie because you said she was too close to the nests." Amanda said in raptor. "And she was nowhere near them."

Jack looked to Sara and they began talking quietly.

"What are you going to do to me if I do attack you anyway, you are weak."

A slight pop came from behind Amanda and she pulled out a large steel knife. "This… is as dangerous as those claws of yours and it's longer." Amanda said, hoping he would go away.

Silver Claw rushed past both Talon and the female, nearly knocking them to the ground, and stopped in front of Amanda. "Don't threaten him like that; it looks like your challenging him for his position in the pack and if that happens, I can't do a thing to help you."

"Really," Amanda asked and Silver Claw nodded. "Alright then," Amanda sighed and slid the knife back into its sheath.

"You have to help the poor little human that can't defend herself, that's sad." Talon mocked.

"Talon you will watch you tongue!" Jack barked at him, "They are not challenging you, now back away!"

"Yes," Talon answered, though he nearly snarled at the alpha in rage, but instead lowered his head and backed away. Jack slowly stood up and walked over to Silver Claw and Amanda.

"As for you two, Silver Claw, you had better teach her how to behave around our pack," Jack said threateningly, "I do not want another incident like this happening unless one of you are looking for a challenge!"

Silver Claw looked down and sighed. He turned to Amanda, "We should go."

Amanda could hear the sadness in his tone. "Ok," she said in English.

They slowly walked away and towards the lake. The air was quiet and wind died down. Amanda looked at Silver Claw, his feathers were down and he was looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry Silver Claw," Amanda said softly.

"It's ok," he said though he did not look up. "You could have got hurt or killed back there."

"I know," Amanda said with ever increasing saddened tone.

"I don't want to lose you," Silver Claw said and looked at her.

"I know," Amanda said and looked down.

"You should have seen the expression on their faces when you hit Talon," Silver Claw smirked when they were far enough away so no one else could hear him, "I'm proud of you."

"Really," Amanda said and looked up to see Silver Claw smiling at her.

"It took a lot to do what you did and then you stood your ground, I was very impressed." Silver Claw admitted, "Concerned but happy that you stood up to him."

"Thanks," Amanda smiled and placed her hand on his back. "Do you still want to go for a swim?"

"Sure," he smile, "Where about though?"

"Somewhere not too deep and free of reeds," Amanda replied, "Maybe with some sand."

"I think I saw a spot like that on the other side of the lake." Silver Claw said.

"Well we better hurry so we can get there and have enough time to swim and get home before night." Amanda said and quickened her pace.

They both walked into the jungle, the pack disappeared from view and the sound of buzzing insects filled the air. Amanda started to hum softly and Silver Claw could not help but smile.

The trees thinned slightly and the ground became spongy as they reached the swampy part by the lake. The swash of the lake faintly sounded under the buzz of the insects. A softly wind snaked through the trees and gently moved small branches.

Within an hour, they reached the other side of the lake. Amanda moved out of the trees and onto the rocky shore. "Where about is this area?" Amanda asked, "This side looks like it is all rock along the shore."

"I don't think we should go swimming now," Silver Claw said nervously.

"Why don't you want to swim now?" Amanda asked, surprised.

"That," Silver Claw said and looked down.

Amanda scanned the trees but could not see anything. All of a sudden, a large creature with deep blue skin, a long crocodilian snout and a single hooked claw along with two smaller ones at the end of each forearm walked out from the jungle and into the water. It looked like the spinosaur but without the sail and was only slightly smaller. The creature waded into the water and began to search for something wit hits snout.

Amanda sighed, "I guess we can go tomorrow or something."

Silver Claw lowered his head more so in disappointment. "Let's go."

They slowly walked back into the jungles. The trees swayed overhead and the leaves rustled. The faint scent of flowering plants and damp foliage filled the air. The energetic chirping and whistles of birds echoed from the surrounding darkness.

Before long, the towering cliff appeared through the dense canopy. Its brown rock face and forested top clearly stood out from the canopy in the sunlight that enveloped it. Finally after and hour of walking, Amanda and Silver Claw stepped out of the jungle and onto the six meter clearing between the jungle and the cliff. Silver Claw looked back and forth briefly to find the cave.

"Which way is the cave?" Amanda asked, "It's starting to get a little cloudy out."

"Um…I think it is this way." Silver Claw said and walked towards the north.

Amanda quickly followed him and soon the bush that covered the entrance appeared in the distance. "We're almost there." Amanda sighed with relief, "Soon we can rest for the day with nothing to bother us."

"And we won't get wet," Silver Claw said as the low rumble of thunder echoed across the island.

"It's a good thing we got here when we did, if we did go swimming, I'd get as wet out of the water as in." Amanda said then yawned, "I could use a nap."

"Me too," Silver Claw said as they entered the cave.

They quickly rounded the bend and to Amanda's horror, the bags were gone. "Where are my cloths?" Amanda freaked.

Silver Claw sniffed the air to find the same sour fruit smell as when Ellie died. He hissed in rage and scanned the darkness. "Whatever took them is gone now." Silver Claw sighed. "We're safe for now."

"The stone you gave me was in my bag," Amanda said, saddened.

"Oh, what about your stuff though?" Silver Claw asked.

"The cloths and knives can be replaced but that stone can't," Amanda said. "It was a gift from you and now it's gone." She sat down on the ground and placed her hands over her eyes.

"It's ok Amanda," Silver Claw said, trying to comfort her. He sat down behind her and rested his head against her shoulder. "Maybe I could find something else like it."

"It's not just that. You and Sunayana are the only friends I have left, I have no family and I keep losing everything I care about." Amanda said and began to cry. "Why does life have to be so cruel?"

"You have me," Silver Claw said softly. "If there is anything I can do to cheer you up, just ask."

"That's sweet, thank you." Amanda said and wiped the tears from her face. "I think I'll just go to sleep for a bit, that might help." She slowly leaned back until her head rested on Silver Claw's side and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight Amanda," Silver Claw whispered softly into her ear and placed his head on her stomach. Before long, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. A gentle rain began to pour outside the cave, the sky darkened and silence befell the jungles of Isla Sorna…


	13. Fair Game

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 13: Fair Game

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author note: Due to the number of review suggesting I add a male character, I have. I would like to know what you think of him and if he needs to be improved, and if so, where to improve. In addition, I am thinking of drawing up some of the characters from this story and posting them on my Deviant Art account (unsure if I will though).

Amanda suddenly sat up, her body shaking and drenched in a cold sweat. Her breath came in quick and raspy gasps. She nervously looked to the right then the left, scanning the darkness around her. Amanda felt something brush by her side and she suddenly jumped.

"What wrong?" She heard from beside her and looked to see Silver Claw with an expression of concern on his face.

Amanda gasped for air for a moment before responding. "Sorry, it was just… I just woke up from a nightmare," Amanda replied and laid her head back on Silver Claw's side.

"What happened in it?" Silver Claw asked softly.

"I'd rather not talk about," Amanda said and brushed several tears away.

"Ok, I understand." Silver Claw said and rested his head on her stomach.

"Is it morning or night, I can't tell." Amanda questioned.

"Morning," Silver Claw replied, "It's still raining out."

"When did it start raining?"

"Shortly after you when to sleep," Silver Claw yawned, "The stream is getting bigger too."

"What?" Amanda blurted. "How big has it gotten?"

"It's almost at your feet," Silver Claw said and moved his tail, splashing Amanda's feet slightly.

"Do you think it'll stop raining soon?" Amanda asked and slowly sat up, allowing Silver Claw's head to slip to her lap.

"I don't know, but I hope so." Silver Claw replied. "I am hoping we can play some games today."

"Yeah that would be nice," sighed Amanda. "When are you going to teach me some velociraptor behavior and politics?"

"If you want I can now, we're not doing much until this rain stops," Silver Claw said and stood up. He sat down to the left of Amanda lifted his feathers. "What do you think me raising my feathers mean?"

"I don't know… does it mean you're agitated or something close to that?" Amanda replied.

"Yes and no," Silver Claw said, "In pack order the alpha male will almost always have them straight up to show his authority while the lowest member will have them flat to show submission to the higher ranks."

"Ok. Depending on your mood, will it show in you feathers?" Amanda asked.

"Yes," Silver Claw sighed, "They are also used in the raptor mating rituals and on few occasions in hunting. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, but how do you tell what mood a raptor is in by looking at his feathers?"

"Raised feathers are used to show agitation, excitement and joy while lowered feathers show when a raptor is sad, tired, and sometimes affection. In addition, to tell the mood body posture is important." Silver Claw stood up and lowered himself towards the ground, raised his claws, tail, and bared his teeth. "If I do this, it means that I'm going to defend myself or attack." Silver Claw then raised himself until he towered above Amanda, lowered his head and tilted it slightly to the right. "This means I'm curious about something and want to investigate usually or it can be just a trick to attack you. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I think so." Amanda said, "So if I want to avoid a fight what do I do?"

"Well don't threaten a raptor or turn you back to them if they're agitated or looking for trouble," Silver Claw said. "Try not to look them in the eyes because that is seen as a direct challenge to their authority. Then there is a lot about pack order that you don't need to know about."

"Why not?"

"Because we don't really have a pack order and don't belong to any pack really."

"Maybe we should have a pack order, just for fun." Amanda said and moved back as the water was starting to soak into her shoes.

"I'm happy with what we have right now, if we do get a pack, I'll explain it before we do anything else."

"Oh, I see." Amanda sighed, "How do I act around other raptors?"

"Depends, male or female raptors?" Silver Claw asked.

"Both. Start with males, since I'm with you always." Amanda smiled.

"Well around me you should act like you always do, around other males though, stay away, they may attack you if they see fit because you're a human. If you do want to go near them though, have me by your side unless they are friendly but if they start getting agitated, back away because if you get into a fight, I can't help you at all." Silver Claw said. "Now females are different, they won't become aggressive unless you do something to offend them, their mates or they just don't like you. If you do happen to offend them, you should apologize and bow your head respectfully. Oh yeah, and do not under any circumstances touch their eggs with out them present and given permission or I nor Sunayana will not be able to stop them."

"Ok, that'll help a lot." Amanda sighed then asked, "Why can't you help me in a fight though?"

"If you accept a fight, that means you are challenging them and even if I wanted to, the other raptors would stop me." Silver Claw answered, "Toe claws are forbidden and so is killing in a fight for rank."

"Ok, that's good, thanks." Amanda said and asked, "How do I greet raptors if I meet them?"

"The alphas, you bow your head and greet them. The rest of the pack you can nod your head and say hello. Out of a pack situation, friends greet each other how they like. Mates often lick their partner on the cheek or rub heads and in some cases they have a song they hum to one another." Silver Claw said.

"That sounds sweet," Amanda said, "What were the names of the alphas?"

"Jack and Sara," Silver Claw replied.

"Ok," she sighed. "What else is there to learn?"

"Hunting techniques, eating order, what to do if you do get in a fight, what to do if you run into an unfriendly raptor alone, what to do if you're out of territory," Silver Claw said and took a breath. "Politics, grooming, nest building, choosing a nesting area, and then there are several thing that Sunayana will have to teach you if she wants, about hatchlings and how to care for them."

"Why would I have to learn about raising baby raptors?" Amanda asked.

"If we do eventually get accepted into a pack, you might be put on nest duty for some time as a way to gain the other members trust," Silver Claw said and slowly stood up. "The rest can wait for a bit though; I think it's stopped raining."

"Really," Amanda questioned with enthusiasm and quickly stood up. She walked to the bend and looked around it.

A few droplets of water fell from the entrance. The cave remained dark, the clouds still hung over the island but a few blue patches of sky allowed the light to shine through in small beams. The trees swayed slightly in the wind and several branches lay strewn about on the muddy ground. Large puddles blanketed the ground outside the cave though the rocky area near the cave was less of a mess.

The stream had grown nearly four times its size overnight and only a few feet of soil and rock remained on either side to walk on. The water was a murky brown with leaves and twigs dotting the surface. Several insects struggled to swim against the moving water in a vain attempt to get to land.

"We might have to find a new home Silver Claw; I think we're going to get flooded like this every time it rains." Amanda sighed, "We could try to block the water from coming here but I don't see how we could do that."

"Maybe we could find a cozy place in the forest like at my old home." Silver Claw suggested. "With a stream nearby and I could show you how to build a nest."

"Maybe, though humans don't sleep in nests like you." Amanda said, "But I'm willing to try it… for a little bit. Though, it would have to be sheltered from the rain and wind so I don't get sick."

Silver Claw chirped with excitement. Amanda nearly fell over backwards, stunned and confused.

"What's wrong?" Silver Claw asked.

"I've never heard you chirp like that, it just shocked me. That's all." Amanda said. "You must really be happy."

"Really, I've never chirped like that before?" Silver Claw questioned.

"No, what are you so happy about?" Amanda stated.

"I didn't want to say anything because you were happy but I haven't really liked sleeping in buildings and on rocks." Silver Claw confessed.

"You could have told me that, we could have found somewhere where we both would have liked." Amanda said.

"Yeah but you were happy so I ignored the issue." Silver Claw said and stretched his right arm.

"It's nice that you're thinking of me before yourself but I want you to be happy also, even if that means doing something I don't like." Amanda said.

"Alright, I'll do some things that you don't like sometimes." Silver Claw said and gently rubbed his head against Amanda's neck. She giggled slightly and pushed him away.

"What do you want to do?" Amanda asked sweetly.

"Are you hungry?" Silver Claw asked.

"Are you?" Amanda asked back.

"Yes, but do you want to try hunting yourself?"

"You want me to kill something again?" Amanda almost stuttered.

"If you want to be more like a raptor, you have to hunt like one or close to it." Silver Claw said and tilted his head. "It's what I want you to do," he smirked.

Amanda frowned at him for a moment. "Fine, I will hunt something by myself if it'll make you happy."

"Yes, as long as you don't feel bad like last time." Silver Claw said, pleased.

"If I can watch a dinosaur rip apart a smaller one without feeling bad, I think I can handle this, this time." Amanda sighed. "If I do need help, you'll be nearby anyway."

"Ok," Silver Claw smiled. "What are you planning to use to kill your prey?"

"I don't know, probably the knife or I could try and make a spear." Amanda replied.

"I know what the knife is but what is a spear?" Silver Claw asked.

"It's a sharpened stick sometimes with a rock at the end." Amanda explained. "Are you going to tell me some techniques first?"

"No, I want to see you in action before I tell you where you could improve," Silver Claw said.

"Alright, but where are we going to go hunting?" Amanda asked, "I don't want too many dinosaurs around when I do this."

"I think we should at least look around first, maybe we'll get lucky and find something your size." Silver Claw said.

"My size, I'm not going after something that big and preferably not a carnivore." Amanda said and pulled the knife from behind her back. "I should make a spear first."

Amanda quietly walked out of the cave, followed by Silver Claw. They walked along the edge of the stream until they enter the jungle. Amanda searched through the different branches until she found one to her liking and broke it off. She started to slice the wood with the knife but suddenly dropped both. Her eyes filled with tears and she started sucking on her right index finger.

"What happened?" Silver Claw asked but then smelt the air, "You're bleeding!"

"Yeah…. I cut my finger," She sniffled.

"Are you ok?" Silver Claw asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I think I'll be alright," Amanda said, brushing away some tears. She showed him the long thin cut along the side of her finger.

Silver Claw leaned forward and licked the wound clean of blood. Amanda quickly pulled her hand away and wiped the saliva off her finger. She looked at him, unsure of why he did that.

"Sorry," Silver Claw said and lowered his head slightly.

"Why did you lick my finger?" Amanda questioned.

"I don't know, it's just the smell of blood is a little inviting. It won't happen again." Silver Claw apologized.

"It's alright. You have instincts; just try not to drool as much when you follow them." Amanda said.

"Let's move out of here before anything smells the blood and tries to eat us." Silver Claw said and turned away. He soon disappeared into some bushes.

Amanda sighed. She bent over and picked up her knife, sheathing it. She grabbed the stick and suddenly she felt something hit her back. A sharp pain pulsed from her right ear and she screamed, dropping the stick. "Silver Claw!"

Silver Claw suddenly burst from the bushes and lunged towards Amanda, his head disappeared over her shoulder. The creature that held Amanda's ear released its grip on her and struggled to fight off the raptor. Amanda quickly scrambled away and turned around to see Silver Claw holding a flailing compsognathus. It squealed and screeched in frustration but Silver Claw did not kill it. Instead, he lowered his head to the ground and placed the animal down. He put his foot over it to make sure it could not escape.

"Do you want to hunt this Amanda?" Silver Claw said, "It did attack you."

"Maybe," Amanda said and pulled out the knife. She looked at her reflection on the blade. I can do this can I not? Amanda asked herself, I have to hunt to survive but it will end the life of another creature. She sighed.

Amanda slowly walked over and knelt by the compy. It snapped at her and hissed. She placed the knife against its throat and quickly slit the creature's throat. Blood spilled out and the compsognathus went limp.

"Good job Amanda," Silver Claw said, caringly. "It didn't suffer. You killed it almost instantly."

"I don't feel that bad either." Amanda said. "Is this enough hunting for now?"

"Yeah, if you want it to be Amanda, you're hunting, not me." Silver Claw said and lifted his foot. He picked up the small animal in his mouth and held it out to Amanda.

"You can have, I'm not really hungry right now." Amanda said and sheathed the knife.

"Are you sure you don't want even a little bit?" Silver Claw asked and when Amanda nodded, he tossed back the compy, swallowing it whole. He licked the blood off his jaws.

"Where do you want to go?" Amanda asked him as she gently placed her hand on his neck and began rubbing it.

"Would you like to go to the lake for a bit or should we find a home first?" Silver Claw questioned then began to purr softly.

Amanda chuckled slightly, "Let's find a place we can call home first and then we can have some fun."

"Ok," Silver Claw purred.

Amanda pulled her hand away from him and smiled. "Lead the way."

Silver Claw walked with Amanda into the bushes. Thick trees soon surrounded them as they walked northward. A gently breeze snaked through the trees, rustling leaves and moving Amanda's hair. They passed a large bush covered in brilliant flowers, yellow with red tipped petals. Amanda smiled as she looked at them.

Silver Claw noticed this and stopped for a moment, he made it look like he was just cleaning his toe claws. When Amanda passed out of sight of the bushes, he quickly grabbed one of the flowers by the stem in his mouth. He winced in pain, not realizing there were thorns but snapped it off the bush. Silver Claw quickly caught up with Amanda and nudged gently. He opened his mouth, offering her the flower.

"Ah, thank you Silver Claw." Amanda said as she took the flower and hugged him. "You didn't realize there were thorns before you gabbed it, did you?" Amanda questioned when she noticed the few specks of blood on the stem.

"No I didn't, but it doesn't bother me." Silver Claw replied and rubbed his head against her neck.

"This flower is called a rose," Amanda said, "Do you know what his one symbolizes?"

"No," Silver Claw said. "It isn't something bad is it?"

"No not at all, it symbolizes friendship and falling in love." Amanda said and smiled as she twirled the rose between her fingers. "I love roses," Amanda said softly, "I used to grow them at my house before I ended up here."

"Are you happy," Silver Claw asked softly.

"Yes," Amanda replied and released him from her hug. She gently kissed him on the cheek and then said, "Shall we continue our walking."

Silver Claw smiled, "Let's."

They continued onward, through the dense brush. Amanda pulled the larger thorns of the stem as they walked and slid the stem into the grove at the top of her ear. Silver Claw meanwhile watched the surrounding jungle for any sign of trouble. Before long, they stumbled upon a worn path in the jungle and Silver Claw became nervous.

"What is it?" Amanda questioned.

"This is a game trail, carnivores often follow this path and one has been on here recently." Silver Claw said as he examined some tracks, larger than his own.

"What kind of carnivore?" Amanda nervously questioned.

"Carnotaurus, the one that can hide by changing color," Silver Claw said and sniffed the air. Suddenly the wind changed and Silver Claw's eyes widened. "Run Amanda!"

Amanda and Silver Claw both ran forward. A loud crash sounded from behind them as the head of the carnotaurus crashed into the ground, nearly hitting Silver Claw's tail. Although they could not see the carnotaurus, its heavy steps and deep growl never sounded far away. Amanda and Silver Claw dodged trees and bushes until they passed from jungle into a huge field. They kept running and slowed down once the sounds stopped. Amanda looked back.

The carnotaurus was at the edge of the field, nervously shifting its legs. Its skin changed as it moved, two horns protruded from above its eyes and rows of spiny bumps ran down its back. It moved forward slightly and into the light, its body immediately flashed a rainbow of different colors. The creature roared and quickly pulled back into the jungle, immediately disappearing into the dark green background.

"Are we safe?" Amanda questioned.

"Yes," Silver Claw sighed. "They hate the light because it exposes them, making them vulnerable to attack."

Amanda sighed and looked around, they we in a large empty field. The surrounding waist high, golden grasses swayed carelessly in the wind. Jungle surrounded most of the field except in a small area where it cleared, revealing the lake. The sky, no longer clouded but instead a bright blue, allowed the sunlight to bath the field.

"Do you think we should head to the lake?" Amanda asked, "I don't want to go into the jungle with that thing around."

"Yeah, that might be best." Silver Claw said and sniffed the air. He started to snap his head back a fourth and spun around.

Suddenly the low groan of a helicopter echoed from the distance. The sound got increasingly louder until a helicopter burst from a misty rise behind them. Silver Claw instantly ducked down and hid in the grass next to Amanda. The helicopter passed overhead and headed towards the lake. It had a single main propeller, glass bubble at the front, and was white and blue in color. Definitely not a company owned one but more that likely a commercial helicopter used in tours or private use.

"I don't think it saw us," Amanda sighed but moaned when it suddenly U-turned and headed back. "This is going to attract some unwanted attention."

"Do you think it's safe for me?" Silver Claw asked.

"You should stay hidden until I have a talk with them," Amanda sighed and stepped forward, three feet in front Silver Claw.

The helicopter hovered some ways away for a moment and slowly dropped to the ground. The wind caused by the rotating blades flattened the grass around the bottom of the helicopter and flung dirt into the air occasionally. Amanda looked through the glass, two men sat inside. Suddenly the left side door flew open and a man stepped out, holding his hat on his head.

He slowly approached Amanda. He stood about five foot eight, medium build and his body was thick with muscles. He had on tan shorts, jungle green under shirt, and a forest green vest. A large rifle hung over his right shoulder and sunglasses hung down around his neck. His face was clean-shaven, his brown eyes shifted under a thick brow and short brown hair stuck out from under a brown fedora, long teeth lined the hatband. He stopped a few feet from Amanda.

"What's a good look-in Sheila like you doing on a rock like this?" He asked in a deep tone.

"This is my home," Amanda said but the man back up slightly, clutching a handle at his side. She realized that she had said it in raptor and quickly repeated it in English.

"What were those growls about?" he asked suspiciously.

"Wrong language," Amanda said, hoping Silver Claw would remain hidden.

"I've been around the world but I have never heard anything like that but from the creatures I've hunted." He said, "What is it called?"

"You're a hunter," Amanda said nervously.

"Yes I am," he said with increasing irritation. "Why are you so nervous?"

"No reason, why are you here?" Amanda asked, shaking off the nervousness in her voice.

"I heard rumors that some kind of monster lives here and attacks boats that sail too close." He said, "My name's Lance by the way."

"Go back where you came from Lance, you don't know what could happen to you here." Amanda said, worried that some predator might come anytime now.

"Do you want to leave this island?" He asked, "The chopper can take you to the mainland."

"No, I love this place. But you should go before you get hurt." Amanda replied without hesitation.

"Ok, then." Lance said and raised his arm, giving a slight wave.

The helicopter began to lift off. Before long, it reached an altitude that it could move freely. It passed overhead and disappeared over the rise. The engine slowly faded until it was nonexistent.

"What did you do that for?" Amanda freaked.

"I have a phone to call them when I'm done here." Lance replied.

"And what exactly are you going to do here?" Amanda asked.

"I'm going to bag me something worth a place on my trophy wall," he replied. "So where do you live?"

"I'm currently looking for a home where my friend and I can build nests to stay in." Amanda replied and got a wide eye response.

"You sleep in a nest," Lance nearly stuttered. "Who's your friend?"

"He's hiding somewhere because you're here." Amanda said. "You'd shoot him if you saw him so I hope he remains hidden."

"What is he?" Lance demanded and suddenly a hiss came from the grasses. He quickly readied his gun and pointed it at the grass around him.

"He shouldn't hurt you as long as you don't threaten me or raise your voice again." Amanda said when she notice Silver Claw had made his way to behind the man.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Lance asked more politely.

"Because I do not want anymore people dying in front of me again," Amanda said.

"Again?" he asked, clutching his rifle tight to him.

"The creature you heard of is called a spinosaurus and it attacked the boat I was on, my whole family died that night and I was stranded here. The only other human up until now that has been on the island was my friend Ellie but she's now gone, she died a few days ago." Amanda said in a saddened tone and looked down.

"I'm sorry," he said and walked up to her, placing his hand her shoulder. Suddenly a hiss came from the grass and Lance spun around wit ha smirk on his face, pointing the rifle straight at Silver Claw. "Gotcha!"

"No! He's my friend," Amanda screamed and moved between the gun and Silver Claw. "You'll have to shoot me first if you want him!"

"I could never shoot a Sheila such as yourself, an especially good looking one I might add." He said and lowered his gun slightly. "Prove that he's your friend."

Amanda glared at him foe a moment. "Silver Claw could you come here, but be cautious." Amanda said in raptor.

Silver Claw slowly stood up and walked over to Amanda. He gently rubbed his head against her neck, glad that she was safe right now.

Lance looked at Silver Claw awestruck. The creature was nearly as tall as he was and the claws could rip him to shreds easily. "What is it, your pet?" he asked.

"No, he's just as smart as you or me, his name is Silver Claw and he's my friend!" Amanda defended.

"Those growls, are they his language?"

"Yes, he taught it to me when I asked him." Amanda said and placed her hand on Silver Claw's back. "He's all I got left for a friend," Amanda added, not wanting Lance to find out about the other raptors across the lake.

"So everything you and I are talking about, this overgrown lizard can understand?" Lance skeptically questioned.

"He is not a lizard, he's a dinosaur and yes he can understand us."

"Dinosaur, huh… those are extinct." Lance laughed.

"Do you know who owns this island?" Amanda asked, "Ingen, a genetics company and they cloned the dinosaurs that live here."

"This is all just gibberish to me, so short story of all of this is that you got stranded here, learned to talk to a _dinosaur_ and what me to go home."

"Yes, you could say that." Amanda said.

"What's your name by the way?" Lance asked, keeping a watchful eye on Silver Claw.

"Amanda," she replied then mumbled something in raptor to Silver Claw.

"Well Amanda," Lance started but a loud hoot interrupted him. "What was that?"

"That would be a dilophosaurus and it spits poison, so be careful." Amanda said. "We aren't going to stick around either because it could probably spit from the tree line and reach us."

"What else is on this island like that?" Lance questioned.

"There's a creature that can blend in to its surroundings by changing color. We just escaped from one so it might not be to far away as well." Amanda replied. "Are you wishing you left now?"

"No, one of those would make a fine trophy on my wall." Lance said and took his eyes of Silver Claw for the moment to look at the jungle.

Silver Claw suddenly pounced on the man, knocking him to the ground easily. Lance tried to push Silver Claw off him with his rifle but Silver Claw only bit down on it. Lance's eyes widened as the wood began to splinter under the biting force of the raptors jaws. The barrel dented inward and Silver Claw twisted his head, bending the barrel slightly. Suddenly Silver Claw jerked his head to the left, tossing the gun several meters away and hissed. Amanda quickly rushed over and convinced Silver Claw to get off.

"What are you doing?" Amanda asked in English.

"He threatened you and that gun could have killed you," Silver Claw said, angered.

"Yes it could have killed me but I don't think he would have shot me." Amanda said.

Meanwhile Lance slowly stood up and reached into his pocket. "Why did he attack me? I thought you said it was nice!"

"He wouldn't have done that if you wouldn't have pointed the gun at him, it looked like you were going to kill me when I stepped in the way and he made sure it wouldn't happen again." Amanda said furious. "Why did you point the gun at him anyway?"

"Like I said, I'm a hunter." He replied and slowly pulled something out of his pocket. Suddenly he stumbled forward slightly and his eyes widened. "You said those things spit."

"Yes," Amanda replied, "Why?"

"They can reach us." Lance said, unwilling to turn around. "One just hit me I think."

Amanda's eyes widened and she turned away. "Run!"

Silver Claw quickly followed Amanda towards the lake. Lance raced to his gun but found it damaged to the point it would no longer work. "Shit!" He tossed it aside and followed Amanda and Silver Claw. The ground turned steep as the headed towards the lake.

Silver Claw looked back to see the dilophosaurus break cover and run after them. Suddenly the carnotaurus also broke cover, turning a brilliant green in the light with white blotches all over. It sank its teeth into the neck of the young dilophosaurus before it could react. The dilophosaurus let out an unnerving shriek and sank its teeth into the lower jaw of the carnotaurus but soon went limp. The limp body fell from the jaws of the carnotaurus and it bellowed in victory. Suddenly the massive creature staggered and collapsed to the ground.

"I think we can stop Amanda," Silver Claw said as he looked back to the path ahead of him.

Amanda slowed down and stopped. Lance quickly stopped himself too, though keeping an eye Silver Claw. "I could have got my trophy but no…" Lance said furious. "That thing had to destroy my rifle, now I have to find another one on this rock."

"The closest you'll find is a flare gun." Amanda said, "All the weapons here are not lethal except for knives, I found that out on a computer a while back."

"What about the stuff that thing spit on me, how toxic is it?" Lance questioned.

"Throw what ever it has touched away," Amanda said.

"It's that bad," sighed Lance as he took of the vest and tossed it aside after putting the phone and supplies in his pockets.

"Are you going home now?" Amanda asked and crossed her arms.

"Nope, I think I'll stay around for a bit more Sheila, you're not getting rid of me that easily." Lance joked and suddenly a thunderous roar came from the lake. "What now?"

"Run," Amanda said as the spinosaur emerged from the water and headed straight for them. "Welcome to Isla Sorna."

The three ran into the jungle as fast as they could without hitting the tree. The dense jungle slowed them down and the spinosaur was quickly gaining ground. Suddenly the ground gave way and the three fell into the darkness below…


	14. Dreams

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 14: Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Amanda, Silver Claw and Lance fell through the darkness. Amanda screamed until she hit the ground, her head hit a rock, the world began to spin, and suddenly everything went dark…

_Amanda slowly awoke but refused to open her eyes. The air around her was cold, strange scents filled the air, and she had an overwhelming headache. Her body hurt but tingled with new sensations and the world seemed anew. She could hear distant creatures walking through the jungle and the soft gurgle of a nearby stream. She could smell creatures around her but could not identify them. Single voice suddenly called her name._

_Reluctantly, Amanda slowly opened her eyes. The world was a blur of colors and shades before them. She heard her name again. A ghostly shape slowly came into focus. It was Silver Claw. He stood in front of her with a smile on his face. Then she noticed she was no longer in the hole in the ground but in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by a dense wall of bushes. _

"_Silver Claw," Amanda questioned. "What happened? Where are we?"_

"_You must be tired Amanda," Silver Claw said softly. "We're in our home and you just laid your first clutch of eggs." _

"_What," Amanda shouted and stood up. She immediately toppled over and she looked to see that she had been lying in a nest. _

"_Careful Amanda, you don't want to accidentally step on our eggs." Silver Claw said and slowly walked over to her. He gently licked her cheek and sat down next to her._

"_How can I lay eggs, I'm human," Amanda stuttered and looked at him. "We can't even mate! Why would I want to lay eggs?"_

"_You must really be tired," Silver Claw said softly and rubbed his head against her. "We have twelve eggs incase you didn't know."_

"_I'm human though." Amanda nearly shouted and looked at her body. Her eyes widened in shock and she nearly passed out at what she saw._

_Her body was no longer that of a human but of a female velociraptor. White scales covered a majority of her body while a few black patches and lines ran down her sides and back. A large tail, her large tail, extended from her body, large muscular legs ended in the recognizable killing claws of a velociraptor. She slowly looked down to see the dexterous three fingered forearms of a velociraptor that ended in black claws. She focused her eyes inward to see her snout, the scales darker than on her body. _

_She slowly reached up and touched her face. "This can't be real, it can't be."_

"_Amanda," She heard a voice say. Sunayana emerged from the bushes. "What beautiful eggs," Sunayana said and approached them._

_Amanda snapped at her. Her eyes widened when she realized what she had done. "Oh, I'm sorry Sunayana, I didn't mean it."_

"_It's alright Amanda. I didn't ask to approach your nest and for that I'm sorry." Sunayana said, bowed her head, and backed away, disappearing into the bushes._

"_How did I become a raptor?" Amanda asked skeptically, turning her attention back to Silver Claw._

"_The incident in the laboratory," Silver Claw smiled and gently licked Amanda's cheek again._

"_What exactly happened?" Amanda asked, pulling away from him._

"_Well we were on a walk way when it collapsed on us. I fell first into the stuff and it changed color. You fell in and the next day you woke up a raptor." Silver Claw said. "I still can remember your reaction, you were so happy."_

"_What?" Amanda shouted, "I don't want to be like this, I like being human."_

"_I see," Silver Claw sighed and slowly stood up. "Good bye Amanda." Silver Claw disappeared into the bushes._

"_I didn't mean it Silver Claw, I'm sorry Silver Claw, come back!" Amanda yelled. Suddenly the world faded to black. "Silver Claw, come back!" She stared into the darkness around her; she stood suspended in the emptiness, unable to move and alone. She once more heard her name and felt herself pulled to an unknown destination._

"Amanda wakeup," Silver Claw said. "I'm here Amanda."

Amanda turned over slightly and opened her eyes. "Silver Claw," She screamed and wrapped her arms around him. She began to cry.

"It's alright Amanda, I'm here and you're safe." Silver Claw whispered. He gently rubbed his head against head. "We fell into a tunnel and we're in a small building right now."

"What happened?" Amanda asked softly, whipping several tears away.

"You hit your head on the rock so I carried you on my back through the tunnels." Silver Claw replied and pulled away slowly.

"Why is it so dark?" Amanda questioned.

"It's night," Silver Claw replied. "You've been out for quite some time now."

Amanda reached up to her ear and pulled out a thorn but no flower. "Where's the flower you gave me?" Amanda reached the back of her head and found her hair crusty with dried blood.

"I think it may have fallen while we were in the tunnels." Silver Claw replied and looked down.

"I'm sorry I lost it Silver Claw, it was beautiful though." Amanda said looked around. "And where's Lance?" Amanda panicked, not because she has been out cold for at least seven hours, but that Lance may have gone hunting and could bring a predator back here.

"Outside, you were screaming in raptor and he just left." Silver Claw sighed.

"What was I screaming about?"

"You kept screaming for me to come back and that you were sorry about something." Silver Claw said with a saddened tone. "Do know why?"

"I was having a dream… I'll tell you about it later, ok?" Amanda said and looked down. "Lance, are you out there?"

"Oh, you're away finally." He replied from outside. "Could you come out here for a moment?"

"What do you want?" Amanda asked as she finally stopped crying.

"I want to know if you or the lizard knows where we are." Lance replied.

"He's not a lizard," Amanda said and stood up. She opened the door to get outside and stepped back slightly. "What's that smell?"

"Swamp, were near some kind of bog, though there is a road out here." Lance said and put the knife he was tossing in his pocket. "Will you be wanting this back?" He asked and showed the knife Amanda had earlier.

"You took it from me!" Amanda said, angered, and took it back.

"No, it fell off you went I helped you on to the _dinosaur's_ back." He said, "Now, do you know were we are so I can call my helicopter?"

"I've never seen this place before." Amanda answered and looked at Silver Claw, but he shook his head.

"Oh well," he sighed and started walking down the road. "See you later Sheila."

"Where are you going?" Amanda asked and quickly walked up to catch him.

"There's bound to be a building along this roar somewhere," Lance said. "I can call my helicopter and get them to drop my supplies off."

"Isn't the helicopter at the mainland?" Amanda suspiciously asked.

"No, it's actually sitting on a boat off shore here, waiting for a call to drop my supplies off." Lance snickered.

"He's not as dumb as I thought," Silver Claw said and Amanda laughed at the comment.

"Yeah, but now he can get a new gun," Amanda said. "What if he runs into Sunayana or another raptor?"

"What are you two talking about?" Lance questioned.

"What we're going to do with you," Amanda replied. "We can't have you killing things for the fun of it because you could endanger our friends if you get your supplies."

"Friends, you mean there are more raptors nearby that you hope do not end up on a wall." Lance said with a grin. Silver Claw immediately pounced on him and held Lance's arms down with his forearms while his killing claws were ready to use.

"Please let me kill him Amanda," Silver Claw snarled. "He's as bad as Tyrannous."

"Silver Claw, I know he's bad but I don't want to know that you've killed a human." Amanda pleaded in raptor. "Just hold him still for a moment though."

Amanda walked over and reached into Lances pockets. She pulled out the supplies he had been carrying, a phone, two army knives, a lighter, a wallet and a small case. She opened the case to find a dart with a glowing neon blue liquid in it. She moved in front of him and pointed to the dart.

"Is a poison dart, kills anything in less that a second." Lance admitted. "My rifle had one but your lizard broke it and I couldn't get the other dart out. Why am I telling you this?" Lance tried to move but Silver Claw put more of his weight on him and tapped his claws impatiently on his back.

Amanda quickly closed the case. "Why do you need something that dangerous?"

"Because I didn't know how big the creature was and why am I explaining this to you," Lance said. "Now, can you get this thing off my back?"

"Silver Claw, you can get off him now." Amanda said politely.

Silver Claw slowly stepped off him. "Can we leave him Amanda, he's defenseless and we won't know it he dies."

Lance slowly stood up and back away from Silver Claw. "Can I have my stuff back now?"

"No," Amanda said, "I'm going to destroy this dart and keep the rest of this because you would only use it to get your supplies and kill Silver Claw possibly." Amanda placed the items in her pocket and held the case tight.

"Fine then," Lance said in a clear clam tone and turned away. He walked down the road some ways and turned around. He bent over and it looked like he was tying his shoes, though it was hard to tell in the darkness. He slowly stood up and snapped his arm forward.

Silver Claw suddenly clasped to his side, yelping in pain. He looked to his leg to see a knife sticking out of his leg. He hissed angrily at Lance and finally managed to stagger to his feet.

"Go bye Amanda, I'll be sure to come back for your friend in a day or so." Lance shouted and turned away, running.

"Silver Claw," Amanda shouted and raced to his side. She gently rubbed his neck, trying to calm him. "I'm sorry, I should have let you kill him," Amanda said, bursting into tears.

"I'm fine, Amanda," Silver Claw said. "But could you pull the knife out of my leg?"

Amanda quickly reached over and slowly pulled the blade out, being sure not to wiggle it. She cried and through the knife into the jungle on the other side of the road. Blood trickled down his leg and to his foot. "This is entirely my fault," Amanda cried. "How deep is the wound?"

"Not very deep, it only cut into the skin; it doesn't feel like it hit too much muscle." Silver Claw replied and nudged Amanda's chin up. "Please stop crying, I'm ok and it is not your fault Amanda."

"Do you want me to put a bandage on it?" Amanda sobbed.

"No, I think its fine," Silver Claw said and stepped forward. He yelped in pain and staggered forward. "It went deeper than I thought. We should find as safe place to rest until I can move with out this pain."

"Do you want to stay in the shed until tomorrow?" Amanda asked softly, although still crying.

"Ok," Silver Claw replied and limped towards the shed. "I should be able to walk tomorrow.

Suddenly in the distance, the thunderous roar of the spinosaur sounded through the air. Soon it followed it was a scream. Amanda and Silver Claw quickly moved into the shed and closed the door. Silver Claw collapsed to his side and exhaled several heavy breaths. Amanda tossed the case with the dart into the tunnel and carefully looked out the window.

Heavy steps, faint at first, slowly grew louder until the spinosaur stepped into view of the sheds dirty windows. Its figure, outlined by the moonlight, showed that it was something in his mouth, something moving. It was Lance; he was still alive and kicking. The spinosaur sniffed the air and looked around but soon moved off into the jungle.

"Lance is alive," Amanda whispered to Silver Claw. "The spinosaur has him in its mouth."

Silver Claw laughed slightly, although it hurt to do so. "That spinosaur might have hatchlings then. He's going to suffer more than anything I could have done to him."

"Why is that," Amanda whispered.

"The hatchlings are probably old enough to start learning to hunt live prey," Silver Claw answered. "They will be given him to practice on."

"Oh… that will be… unpleasant." Amanda whispered and sat down next to Silver Claw. She gently did not rest her head on him but on the ground. He moved over to her side and looked into her eyes.

"Now that we're safe, what was the dream about that you mentioned earlier?" Silver Claw said and placed his head on her stomach.

"Well, it started off when I woke up. I could smell and hear thing I could never have as a human. I opened my eyes and there you were, smiling at me. I stood up but fell over because my body was weak." Amanda said and started to turn red. "You sat down next to me and told I must be tired after laying twelve of our eggs. I was confused and looked at my body… I was a female raptor. Then Sunayana came out of some bushes and I snapped at her because she went near the eggs. I could not believe it and I said I wanted to be human. You said goodbye and walked away. That's when I started calling for you to come back and that I was sorry."

Silver Claw moved his head and stared at her in disbelief. "You were a female raptor?"

"Yeah, you said in the dream that there was an accident in the laboratory and I woke up the nest day a raptor," Amanda said, turning redder.

"And we had eggs?"

"Yes, twelve of them," Amanda replied and looked away, embarrassed.

Silver Claw smiled and hummed slightly. He nudged her until she looked at him and he looked deep into her eyes. "Amanda, how do you feel about me?"

"What do you mean?" Amanda asked and put her hand behind her head as a sort of pillow.

"How do you feel about me as a friend?" Silver Claw asked.

"You're my best friend; you are the friend everyone dreams of having. You are loyal, friendly, smart, caring, and funny." Amanda said and closed her eyes. "I think I'm going to go to sleep now, goodnight Silver Claw."

"Goodnight Amanda," Silver Claw whispered into her ear but she was already asleep. Silver Claw licked her on the cheek and rested his head on her chest.

* * *

Meanwhile Lance kicked and swung at the massive maw that held him. Why had this creature not killed him yet? Suddenly a branch lashed him across the face and blood trickled down his cheek.

"Let me go you beast." Lance yelled but only received another branch across the face.

For over an hour, the spinosaur held him tight in its jaws. The air became foul with the stench of decay and before long the passed a parasaurolophus carcass. Thousands of flies flew into the night air as the spinosaur passed another decomposing body of a dinosaur. Lance nearly puked at the gruesome sight and smell of the rotting flesh and putrid smell.

The spinosaur stepped out of the jungle into a small glade. At its center, illuminated by the moonlight, a large nest rose several meters up from the ground around it, dirt, leaves, and large sticks made up its structure. Large bones surrounded the nest, though they were more to the tree line. The same foul air surrounded the nest as in the jungle around. High pitch squeaks came from within the nest and sent chills down Lance's spine.

Lance suddenly found himself tumbling out of the maw of the spinosaur, his legs and body cut by the teeth. He hit the ground hard, the breath knocked from his lungs and the world spun in a distorted blend of colors. He wheezed in short shallow breaths until he could see. He was inside the nest, sticks protruding from the side stuck into his back and wounds bleed from all over his body. Four shadowy figures stood on the other side of the nest, nipping and squeaking at each other.

Lance quickly sat up; the nest walls were too steep to climb and the spinosaur towered overhead. He slowly reached for his ankle and pulled out a small silver revolver.

"If I'm going to die anyway, I'm taking you little monsters with me." Lance mumbled and aimed the gun. He only had five shots so he had to be quick.

The infant spinosaurs squeaked but did not move any closer. The adult spinosaur slowly moved over to the infants and nudged them slightly, making a low deep rumbling sound that vibrated the air around the nest. Three of the babies cautiously stepped forward and steadily grew closer. Three gunshots rang through the air and the three infants dropped to the ground, twitching in spasms. The adult roared in anger and lunged at lance.

He pulled the trigger when he had the last infant in sight but the gun only clicked. He felt himself suddenly thrown into the air, the gun flew from his hands and landed somewhere by the last infant. He looked down to see the gaping maw of the spinosaur as he fell into it. He screamed as he felt the jaws close around him but not hard enough to break the skin. The creature's massive tongue moved him towards the back of the mouth and forced into the throat of the spinosaur, alive…

_

* * *

__Amanda slowly awoke to the soft patter of little feet and squeaks that surrounded her. She opened her eyes to see several infant velociraptors jumping on and at each other. One notice Amanda was awake and bounced over to her. _

"_Mommy," the little female raptor shouted and soon the others followed._

"_Mommy?" Amanda questioned and looked at her self. She was a raptor again. She moaned._

"_Kids, stop bothering your mother like that, she just woke up." A voice said and Amanda looked to see Silver Claw standing near her._

_The little raptors ran towards Silver Claw. "Daddy!" They shouted in unison and played around his feet. Amanda had an overwhelming sense of joy in her heart as she watched the little raptors play at Silver Claw's feet._

_Amanda then took this chance to look around. Surrounding her were about thirteen nests, several had raptors resting in them. A stream ran down the center of the nesting area, dividing it in half. Large bushes and trees surrounded the area and the heavy fragrance of flowers filled the air._

"_Go play with Sunayana, kids. Daddy wants to talk with mommy." Silver Claw said and smiled as the group of little raptors raced over and piled on Sunayana while she rested in her nest._

_Amanda watched as Silver Claw slowly moved next to her and sat down. He looked deep into her eyes and smiled even more. "How are you darling?" He asked in a sweet tone._

"_Tired," Amanda replied._

"_They're great though, aren't they?" Silver Claw said and looked to Sunayana, who pushed away the little raptors with her snout and playfully swatted at them._

"_Yeah," Amanda replied. "When will we be able to sleep again?"_

"_In a few weeks," Silver Claw answered. "They'll be old enough to have their own nest to sleep in."_

_Amanda smiled at him and gently licked his cheek. She hummed the lullaby she heard Silver Claw hum before. Silver Claw smiled back and playfully pushed her over. Amanda laughed and pounced on him. They rolled around in the nesting area until Amanda had him pinned to the ground. She lowered her head and looked into his eyes. Her amber eyes met his red one's and her heart filled with a feeling she could not explain._

"_Give up?" She teased._

"_Never," Silver Claw laughed and managed to roll himself over, forcing her to the ground. He looked her in the eyes. He playfully licked her cheek and hummed. "Give up my mate, you can't win."_

_Suddenly gunshots sounded through the air and a warm liquid rolled down Amanda's side. "Noooooooo," she screamed._

Amanda suddenly sat up, her body covered in a cold sweat. She looked over to see Silver Claw yawn and look at her. The morning light poured in through the dirty windows and lit up the room. Amanda sighed heavily and rubbed her stiff spine.

"You had another dream didn't you?" Silver Claw asked sadly.

"Yeah, I did,' Amanda replied in the same saddened tone. "I screamed again didn't I?"

"Yeah," Silver Claw said, his breath came in heavy gasps.

"What's wrong?" Amanda asked, "You don't look so good."

"The wound is causing me a lot of pain right now." Silver Claw said and cringed when he moved his leg slightly. "I don't think I'll be going anywhere today."

Amanda started to cry, "How bad is it?"

"I don't know," Silver Claw said and whimpered slightly when he moved his leg again. "It isn't even that deep."

"No, no, no." Amanda cried. "Lance might have put something on the blade before he hit you."

Silver Claw remembered the blue liquid and looked down. "Amanda, what ever happens, you have to stay safe, even if I… die."

"You are not going to die Silver Claw, you can't." Amanda sobbed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Silver Claw purred softly, "Living with you makes life so much better."

"Are you hungry?" Amanda asked and released him from her grip.

"Why?" He asked back, "I can't go hunting."

"I can though," Amanda said and brushed away the tears.

"No, it's too dangerous." Silver Claw protested and tried to stand. He yelped in pain and collapsed to his side, breathing in hard heavy breaths.

"I'll be back in a little bit Silver Claw, with food for you. Save your strength." Amanda said and stood up. She checked the phone to make sure it was off and placed along with the lighter and wallet on a shelf. She kept the knives in her pocket and headed towards the door. "I'll be back later Silver Claw, please stay here and get better."

"No, please Amanda, stay here, please." Silver Claw begged but she walked out the door and closed it behind her.

Amanda wiped the tears from her face and looked around. The morning light illuminated the area, dense trees and large ferns lined the road. The soft chirps of birds filled the air along with the buzz of insects. A soft breeze blew her hair slightly and chilled her face.

Amanda started walking down the road, opposite of where Lance had run. She passed a large gap in the trees where the spinosaur had walked through the night before. The island seemed clam as she searched for something to hunt. Then she noticed several small tracks in the dirt. She bent down to examine them and looked up to see a path leading in to the forest. She followed.

* * *

Why did she leave? Silver Claw questioned himself. He whimpered as a wave of pain coursed through his body. If I die, she will never know that I… Silver Claw let out roar as his body trembled painfully and his muscles began to twitch violently.

* * *

Amanda followed the path, the jungle quickly became dense and the path harder to follow. Amanda slipped out of her shoes and continued on foot as not to create any noise. The ground was soft with damp leaves and mud. Ahead, she could hear several animals calling to each other. Amanda quietly climbed over a log and continued to close in on the noise. A light breeze blew towards her and carried a strong smell of the creatures. Finally, she reached the edge of a clearing, a herd of two legged creatures grazed at its center. Amanda quickly hid herself in a bush that had a strong smell to it.

The creatures, hypsilophodon, two meters long, dark green in color with bright blue or red spots on their backs, grazed unaware Amanda was hiding in the bushes near to them. They used their short beak like mouths to rip mosses and ferns from the ground while several other creatures picked up stones in their mouths and were swallowing them. Large eyes set on the sides of the animals head scanned the surrounding jungle for danger while they continuously sniffed the air. One of the animals moved towards the bush Amanda was hiding in and carelessly nibbled on the leaves.

The hypsilophodon was young. It made a low series of repeating clicks as it tore off several leaves. The other animals replied in the same series of clicks and suddenly the wind picked up, blowing several leaves.

This is my chance, Amanda thought as she quietly pulled out the knife from behind her back and gripped it tightly. The animal raised its head and sniffed the air. Amanda leaped onto the creature and stuck the knife into its throat, though it did not die. The hypsilophodon squealed and tried to shake Amanda off but collapsed to the ground.

The rest of the herd ran off into the jungle, calling, clicking and whistling to each other. Amanda grabbed the knife again and slid it across the animal's throat, this time killing it. She stood up, looking down at the animal. Blood gushed from the wound and over the ground. Amanda looked at her hands and dropped the knife. Her hands dripped with blood, though only a bit was on her shirt.

What has happened to me? She asked herself. I just killed a defenseless creature and I do not even feel bad about it. Have I become a cold-hearted killer? I do have a reason to kill though, Silver Claw. He cannot hunt and until he can, I am the only one who can feed him.

The bushes around Amanda suddenly shook and she quickly picked up the knife, holding it out, ready for what ever came out. Suddenly a raptor jumped out, it was Talon. He looked at her, though he did not hiss or speak. Three more raptors jumped out from behind and Amanda looked briefly to see the scarred raptor, and two females.

"You frightened away our prey," one of the females hissed. "We've been tracking them all night."

"I'm sorry and I am not looking for trouble," Amanda said, lowered the knife, and bowed her head. "You can have this after I get a bit off for Silver Claw."

The female perked her head up, surprised that Amanda showed her the respect that another raptor would. "I wasn't expecting you to have learnt how to act around us so soon. I am impressed. My name is Samantha by the way."

"It's nice to meet you Samantha." Amanda said and nodded her head.

"You four had better not be bothering her," a familiar voice said and Sunayana stepped out. "Where is Silver Claw?" Sunayana asked after she sniffed the air. "I don't' smell or see him anywhere.

"He's in a shed not too far away," Amanda started to cry slightly. "He might be dying."

"What!" Sunayana hissed. "What happened?" The other raptors became agitated, growling and hissing, though at nothing in particular.

"We found another human yesterday," Amanda said and looked down, "I think he poisoned Silver Claw."

"Where is this human," Talon hissed and stepped forward. "I will kill him."

"The spinosaur took him to its nest." Amanda sobbed. "I have to be going." Amanda quickly cut off a large piece of the back leg and walked back the way she had came, passing Talon without any trouble.

"Wait Amanda, I'm coming with you." Sunayana said and quickly ran up to her. "Loki, you're in charge of the group until I get back."

"We're coming with you," the scarred raptor, Loki, replied and followed Sunayana. He looked back to the rest of the members and gestured for them to follow. They bowed their heads and quickly caught up to him.

"What happened exactly?" Samantha asked, walking alongside Amanda.

"Lance threw a knife of his that he likely covered with poison at Silver Claw and got him in the leg. This morning Silver Claw was having trouble breathing and it hurt him to move his leg." Amanda replied and cried even more.

"Why would he do that?" Talon asked, for some reason he was being kinder to Amanda.

"He was a hunter. He kills animals to put on a wall as a trophy." Amanda sobbed.

"No more questions," Sunayana said and gently rubbed her head against Amanda's shoulder. "She's been through enough."

Amanda quickened her pace when she slipped her shoes on. In half the time it took her to reach the clearing from the road, made it back and soon could see the shed. The area was unusually quiet. Suddenly a roar came from within the shed. The raptors looked at one another, nervous of Silver Claw's condition. Amanda rushed ahead and opened the door. She dropped the meat and her knife. Tears filled her eyes and she rushed to the raptors side.

"Silver Claw," Amanda cried.

* * *

Author note: Oh no, another cliffhanger, lol. As usual, I would like to hear what you, the readers think about the story and if you have any suggestion to where I could improve it. I killed Lance because I think I ruined him when I introduced him so… goodbye to him. I will add new and better male characters to later chapters but for now, only raptors. A hint at next chapter is that an old character may be returning. 


	15. More than alive

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 15: More than alive

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Amanda rushed to Silver Claw's side. His body trembled violently and he whimpered almost continually. She placed her hand on his head; his scales were cold.

Amanda brushed away her tears. "I found Sunayana while I was hunting."

Silver Claw only closed his eyes, continuing to whimper. He was in too much pain to speak or even give a simple nod. I cannot tell her how I feel, Silver Claw thought. This is worse than death.

"Please don't die," pleaded Amanda, "Silver Claw, you can beat this, please."

Sunayana looked down and turned to Loki. "What do you think we should do?"

"We could take Silver Claw back to the nests," Loki suggested. "I have something to show Amanda."

"But the Jack said that they were not allowed anywhere near the nests or they die," Samantha said.

"I can take full responsibility for taking them there. I think it would be best that we get them somewhere safe and soon, this is dangerously close to the spinosaur's nest for any of you." Loki said. "Anyway, Jack wouldn't dare harm Amanda or Silver Claw, not as long as Silver Claw is like this."

"It's a bad idea but… how do you suppose we get them out of here?" Talon asked, "Amanda can walk but Silver Claw doesn't look like he can even stand."

"I'll carry him on my back to the nest," Loki replied. "It's the least I can do for the trouble I've caused."

"What trouble?" Sunayana asked suspiciously. "What did you do Loki?"

"I'll tell you later but for now we should get going." Loki stepped over to Amanda and placed his hand on he shoulder. "We're bringing you two back to our nests."

"But Jack said we will be killed if we go there." Amanda sobbed. "Even if we are allowed there, Silver Claw can't even stand, how is he supposed to go that far?"

"I'll carry him on my back, but we should hurry. The spinosaur's nest is nearby." Loki said and lowered himself to the ground. "Amanda, would you help put him on my back?"

Silver Claw whimpered even more as Amanda pushed his body and lifted it onto Loki's back. Loki stood up, as easily as he would without Silver Claw on his back, and walked out the door. Amanda meanwhile, stuffed the supplies from the shelf into her pocket and walked out the door. Loki looked to the other raptors and nodded, with Silver Claw on his back, he started down the road. The two females and Talon stayed close to Loki while Amanda and Sunayana were at the back of the group.

"How far are we from you nests?" Amanda asked. Several tears still ran down her cheek.

"It took us all night to reach here but we can make it back before noon." Sunayana replied softly. "How fast can you run?"

"I can't run even close to the amount you can." Amanda admitted. "I'd have to walk most of the way."

"That could be a problem," Sunayana sighed. "It's going to take until nightfall then."

"Do you think we will run into a predator on the way there?" Amanda asked.

"Most likely we might find the Tyrannosaurus or dilophosaurus maybe the spinosaurus." Sunayana said and looked up the road. "I wish Loki wasn't carrying Silver Claw if we do run into the spinosaur."

"Why, he looks the most fit, no offence." Amanda said.

"Oh, that right, you just met him." Sunayana said and shook her head. "Those scars on his body, he has one from every carnivore on this island."

"He's that unlucky?" Amanda questioned.

"No, he looks for trouble. He deliberately gets them to chase him for the fun of it. Only the scars over and under his eyes are not from another dinosaur. He got those when someone dared to chew through a set of bars at the building. He got his head stuck, twice, when he tried to see what was on the other side." Sunayana sighed. "The carnivores chase him before anyone else. The worst part of all that is that he's my brother and I don't want him to end up dead."

"Wow, I don't think he could have one from every carnivore, could he?" Amanda said in disbelief.

"Yeah, every carnivore, even a human got him once." Sunayana said and Loki looked back to her.

"Discussing my life are you, that isn't the half of it." Loki said and looked forward.

Sunayana shook her head, "He also likes to play tricks on us. He was nearly banished for one of them."

"Do you have to bring that one up again? I said I was sorry, how long does it take any of you to forgive me?" Loki asked, though he did not look back.

"You started it Loki," Sunayana laughed.

Suddenly a thunderous roar came from the surrounding jungle. The pack nervously looked around, unsure whether the spinosaur was near or not. Up the road, about a hundred meters, the spinosaur burst from the trees and roared. Its roar seemed mournful but also had overwhelming anger at the same time. It then spotted the group and roared once more before charging.

"Amanda!" Silver Claw managed to get out. "I…" Silver Claw roared in pain.

Loki ran into the jungle with Silver Claw while the others ran into the jungle on the opposite side. Amanda stood frozen for a moment, unsure whether to follow Silver Claw of Sunayana. The spinosaur was nearly on top of her and she raced to catch up to Silver Claw and Loki.

The spinosaur chased her into the jungle. Loki was nowhere in sight and now she was alone with the spinosaur. It roared and lunged at her, knocking several small trees over and pushing aside a few large trees in the process. The massive creature grew ever closer in the dense jungle and snapped at her again, missing by only a few meters. Amanda made a quickly turn around a thick tree, the spinosaur smashed through several trees as it had to turn to catch her.

The ground under foot became soft; she was heading into the swamp. Several large trees forced the spinosaur to stop and go around. Amanda never stopped running. She continued through the jungle. Her legs ached and her chest burned. The only thought that went through her head was she hoped Silver Claw was safe.

She burst from the trees and onto a small protruding piece of land. In front of her a large water truck, turned on its side in the center of a swampy area that may have been a road at one time. She raced forward and jumped into the slimy waters surrounding the truck. She quickly wadded through the water until she reached the vehicle. One of the three panels on the top was open and she pulled herself up, cutting her leg on the rusty edge. Amanda hopped into the barrel of the truck.

Inside the water storage tank was a thin film of water along the bottom. Amanda quickly moved out of the light and to the wall behind the cab. She closed her eyes and listened.

The heavy steps of the spinosaur quickly grew closer. A low growl sounded from outside and suddenly the spinosaur let out a deafening roar that rattled the truck and made Amanda flinch. The spinosaur stepped into the water, splashing noisily as it approached the truck. Amanda watched as the light in front of the open door slowly disappeared. The rancid smell that surrounded the spinosaur made its way into the tank and Amanda forced back the urge to puke. The dinosaur sniffed the air; each heavy breath from the animal unnerved Amanda a little more. The tip of the spinosaur's snout poked into the door that she had entered the tank through and sniffed the air. The snout pulled out and Amanda knew that the spinosaur was now looking in.

Please do not find me, Amanda thought. Please go away. Several tears rolled down her cheek. Silver Claw, I hope you are safe.

Suddenly the spinosaur let out a single roar that rattled the entire truck. The spinosaur hit the truck, causing it to sink another meter into the ground. Amanda braced for another hit but it never came. The spinosaurus roared once more and slowly moved off into the jungle.

Amanda sank to the floor, crying. The spinosaur seemed to be gone but she was not sure and did not want to take the chance of it being nearby. For almost an hour she sat, crying inside the water tank of the truck. In the distance, she could hear faint calls that sounded like raptor but she was not sure. Nearly another hour passed before she could recognize the sounds, they were calling her name.

Amanda peered out of the tank and looked at the swampy area around her. All was quiet, though not enough to seem like something was wrong. Amanda inched out the door and soon sat on it. Amanda looked around for a moment and slid quietly into the water. Once she reached dry land, Amanda ran. She raced through the jungle and towards where she thought the sounds were coming from.

"Sunayana, Loki, Samantha…Talon?" Amanda called out in raptor though it hurt to do so, so loud.

Amanda did not get a response but continued towards the calls. Before long, she found herself emerging from the jungle and into a small glade. Talon stood at its center.

"Amanda," he said, almost shocked to see her. "We've been looking for you."

"I've been hiding from the spinosaur in a truck." Amanda replied as she came to a stop and took in several heavy breaths.

"Why haven't you answered us after it left?" Talon asked and approached her. "The spinosaur must have left sometime ago."

"Uh… I did but I cannot get my raptor calls as loud as you can. Also, I wanted to make sure the spinosaur was gone before I did anything." Amanda replied and backed away slightly.

Talon sighed, "I'm not going to hurt you Amanda."

"That's odd, because a few days ago you would have killed me if you go the chance." Amanda said and crossed her arms.

"Let's just say Jack had a talk with me because of the way I threatened you," Talon sighed and looked down.

"Oh…" Amanda could only say.

Talon stretched his body upward and let out several loud barks. Within several minutes, the entire pack was around them except Loki and Silver Claw.

"Loki went ahead of us and back to the nests." Sunayana said. "The rest of us stayed here to look for you, where were you anyway?"

"I hid from the spinosaur in a truck." Amanda said. "How's Silver Claw doing?"

Sunayana looked down. "Not to good, he started to twitch again and he clawed Loki's leg a bit. He was able to speak and wants to tell you something."

"How long will it take us to get to the nests?" Amanda said as several tears rolled down her cheek.

"We're a lot further north than we were before." Sunayana said. "And we have spent a lot of time searching for you, so…probably the middle of the night if we walk."

"That's going to take too long and I'm too tired to run," Amanda sank to the ground, crying.

Talon looked to the others. "I'm going to hate myself for this but… I'll carry her on my back."

"Are you sure you can carry her all the way to the nests?" Sunayana questioned.

"Yeah, I think so. She not that heavy is she?" Talon responded.

"No!' Amanda blurted, forcing back the tears. "How do you suppose you are going to carry me?"

"I don't know, like Loki has Silver Claw." Talon said but Amanda shook her head. "How would you like to be carried then?" Talon asked a little testy.

"Hold still," Amanda said and walked over to him. Amanda put her hands on Talon's back and with a slight jump, swung one of her legs over his back. She sat with her legs in front of his and her hands at the base of his neck. "Like this."

Talon looked at the other raptors but they looked up or away, chuckling. "Don't you dare tell anyone about this," he hissed.

"Why," Amanda joked. "It shows that you do like me." She patted his neck and his head snapped back to look at her.

"I'll throw you off if you bring this up on the way to the nests." Talon said, angered slightly.

"Alright, let's go then." Amanda sighed.

Talon followed Sunayana as she ran into the jungle. Samantha and the other female followed. They ran through the dense jungle. Amanda ducked to avoid the numerous branches and pushed aside large ferns that nearly hit her. Within a few hours, the group reached the plain and had to go around because of the rex at its center, feasting on a parasaurolophus carcass.

By the time they passed the valley, the sun had begun to set and the bugs were out in force. Amanda started to doze off and nearly fell of Talon several times. Suddenly Talon came to a stop and looked at her.

"Time to get off Amanda," Talon said.

"What?" Amanda asked, sleepy.

"You're walking the rest of the way." Talon said, "Are you getting off yourself or shall I push you?"

"I'll get off," Amanda moaned and slowly slid off his side. She staggered slightly but soon regained her balance. She felt a droplet of blood trickle down her legs and looked to see them cut up from Talon's scales. Amanda gently touched the raw skin and winced in pain. "How far are the nests from here?"

"Only beyond those bushes, "Samantha replied. "Let's get you there before you fall asleep." She gently nudged Amanda forward.

Amanda stepped forward and quickly passed through a dense wall of bushes, emerging on the other side with several twigs stuck to her. Thirteen nests were in the area before her, only three of which had eggs. A narrow steam ran along the nesting ground, separating three nests from the main cluster. Large trees, large enough to stop even the spinosaur, lined the outside of the nesting area. Jack slowly walked up to Amanda and looked at her, his feathers held high.

Amanda bowed her head and then said, "Hello Jack."

Jack let out a satisfactory snort. "Loki explained the situation to me and you are welcome to stay here but do note that you are considered the lowest rank in the pack as long as you stay here."

"Thank you." Amanda said. "How's Silver Claw doing?"

"He's resting right now but he doesn't look to well." Jack said and looked to a group of raptors standing around a nest.

A raptor suddenly rushed up and past Amanda. "Sunayana!" he said and nuzzled her, humming softly. "I've missed you so much."

Sunayana looked away, her scales turned a slight red. "I've missed you to Blaze." She licked his snout and turned back to Amanda. "Let's go see Silver Claw."

Amanda walked over with Sunayana to the group of raptors. "Excuse me please," Amanda said, keeping her head low. Finally, she pushed past the last raptor and looked down to see Silver Claw in a nest. "Silver Claw," Amanda said softly and sat down next to him. Slowly and gently, she lifted his head and placed it in her lap. Amanda rubbed his neck and his eyes slowly opened.

"Amanda…" He struggled to get out.

"I'm here," Amanda said and smiled. "How are you?"

"Not….good," Silver Claw said in a raspy growl.

Tears started to roll down Amanda's cheeks and she leaned over. Amanda kissed him on the top of his head. "Get better please. I don't want to live here without you."

Silver Claw only closed his eyes and exhaled heavily. "I….I….I love you Amanda."

Amanda leant over and hugged him. "I love you too."

"Would you be my mate?" Silver Claw asked as clearly as he could.

Amanda's jaw dropped, her eyes widened, she pulled away and stared at him. "You meant it that much," Amanda said, shocked. Her face blushed red, though it was hard to tell in the evening light.

An elderly raptor looked to Jack. "Like father, like son." The raptor sighed. "He went and fell in love with a human. I still remember how depressed his father was when he found her dead by the claws of a raptor after were where set free."

"Yeah, I remember as well. Let's just hope that doesn't happen here." Jack sighed and looked back to Amanda and Silver Claw.

Amanda continued to stare at Silver Claw. "Mates? You care for me that much that you want me to be your mate?" Amanda almost stuttered. "I…I don't know what to say."

"Will you be my mate Amanda? If I am to die, having you as my mate would put me at peace." Silver Claw said, his breaths becoming shallower.

Amanda stared at him for a moment and closed her eyes, remembering the dreams from the other day. "I…I…I… yes," Amanda said and hugged him tightly. "Yes I will be you mate Silver Claw."

The raptors looked at her then to each other. Several velociraptors hissed in protest of the unnatural pair but most felt obliged to congratulate the two. Talon leaned over and whispered into her ear, "This would be a good time to tell you that velociraptors usually mate for life."

"I love him and as long as it makes him happy, I'm happy," Amanda said. Tears rolled off her cheek and onto Silver Claw's head. Amanda kissed him once more and pulled him into a tight hug.

Silver Claw smiled weakly. "Thank you… my mate." Silver Claw wheezed and started to shake violently, his claws ripped chunks of the nest from there place. He suddenly stopped moving, his breath was silent and his chest unmoved.

"Silver Claw… Silver Claw, speak to me," Amanda sobbed. Silver Claw did not respond.

The raptors looked to one another. Sara slowly approached and lowered her head. She gently placed her lower jaw on Silver Claw's neck and waited. She felt for a pulse but… nothing. Slowly she lifted her head and looked back at the group of raptors, shaking her head.

"He can't be," Amanda cried. "Silver Claw please, you can't die on me. Not when you asked me to be your mate."

Loki looked down and slowly slipped off into the jungle, disappearing with little question from the others. Jack slowly walked to his nest and sat down, as did the majority of the pack soon after. Sara, Samantha and another female returned to their eggs, gently rotating them before lying on them. Sunayana remained by Amanda's side and quietly sat down next her.

"Losing a friend is hard." Sunayana sighed. "I can't even start to under stand what you must be going through with him being your mate."

Amanda could not even answer, she was crying too much. Amanda pulled the raptor's head against her chest and cried even more. Why of all the times for you to die, is when we get the closest we have been. Amanda continued crying into the night. Sunayana fell asleep next to Amanda, as did the rest of the pack though in their nests.

Suddenly a rustle came from the bushes in the direction of the building. Amanda looked to see Loki cautiously poke his head out the bushes. She turned back to Silver Claw and slowly rocked back and forth. His scales were beginning to become cold and his limbs stiff. Amanda felt a hand set down on her shoulder.

"I know you're sorry Loki," Amanda sobbed. "You don't need to stay up with me."

"I'm not Loki," a female voice said in English.

Amanda's eyes widened. "It can't be!" Amanda slowly turned her head to see Ellie looking down at her. "This must be a dream, you died Ellie."

"No, I did not." Ellie said softly. "Loki put on a convincing display though."

"Well it's nice that you are alive," Amanda sobbed and turned back to Silver Claw. She gently stroked his feathers and cried some more.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Ellie questioned, setting two bags against a nearby tree and then crouching next to Amanda.

"Yeah but Silver Claw's dead, I'm not in the mood to be happy right now." Amanda cried.

Loki placed his hand on Ellie's shoulder to get her attention. "Silver Claw asked Amanda to be his mate before he died," Loki explained.

"What did she say?" Ellie said, disturbed at the thought of a human and velociraptor being lovers.

Loki sighed. "Yes."

"Oh, so they actually…. fell in love," Ellie said as she watched Amanda sob over Silver Claw.

"Yeah," Loki said. "A human poisoned Silver Claw though."

"A human, where is he?"

"Dead, the spinosaur got him shortly after the incident with Silver Claw," Loki replied. "Silver Claw told us what happened to him when we got here."

Sunayana stirred slightly and opened her eyes. She blinked several times, "Ellie?"

"Hi Sunayana," Ellie said and sat down next to Amanda.

"Impossible, I saw your body," Sunayana stuttered.

"Loki did that, he made it look like I was dead." Ellie said. She mover to the tree and placed her head on a bag. "Goodnight, I'm going back to sleep."

"Loki, you're in for it tomorrow morning." Sunayana hissed.

"I know," Loki sighed and curled up not far from Ellie because Silver Claw was in his nest.

Several hours passed and Amanda tucked he body tight against Silver Claw's body. Heavy with sleep, her eyes finally closed and she fell asleep. Silver Claw's tail lay limp on the ground when suddenly it twitched slightly…

* * *

_Silver Claw slowly opened his eyes. Darkness surrounded him. The voices of everyone he knew in his life echoed around him, making it hard to distinguish one from another. For what seemed like an eternity, he listened to the conversations of his past, from when he was just a hatchling to the present with Amanda._

_Silver Claw closed his eyes and tried to push all but his mates away. Suddenly a single voice spoke to him, his mother. Silver Claw opened his eyes and saw a single female raptor in front of him._

"_Hello my son." She said in a tender tone. "It's been so long since I last saw you."_

"_Mom," Silver Claw said, his bottom jaw trembled slightly._

"_Yes my son, I am here." She said and walked up to him. She gently nuzzled him and stepped back. "You've grown to be a fine young raptor."_

"_Thank you," Silver Claw said and bowed his head._

"_I do question your choice of mate though," She said softly._

"_What's wrong with Amanda?" Silver Claw said. "She's perfect for me."_

"_She is a human," Amber replied with an irritated tone. "They kept us locked away in pens for all those years."_

"_Amanda is different, she defends me even though she doesn't have to and she loves me." Silver Claw argued. "Why are you disapproving of me, you always told me to follow what I thought was right."_

"_I…" She started but faded away._

"_Mom?" Silver Claw called out. "Come back mom!"_

* * *

Silver Claw's eyes shot open. The morning light temporarily blinded him. His vision slowly came back to him and he saw that Amanda was sitting by the stream, crying and playing with a blue stone. Two backpacks sat against a tree nearby but the nests around were empty.

Silver Claw slowly staggered to his feet and limped over to Amanda. He looked down at her for a moment, she was unaware he was up. He slowly lowered his head and licked the side of her cheek. She screamed.

Amanda spun around to see Silver Claw standing next to her. "Silver Claw," Amanda screamed and lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She started to cry even more.

"Good morning my mate," he said softly and put his hands on her back. "I'm alright, you can stop crying."

"Sara said you were dead. She could not feel a pulse and you went stiff." Amanda cried. "I thought you were dead."

"What happened?" A voice asked, "I heard you scream Amanda." Ellie stepped out of the bushes. She started at Silver Claw. "You were dead?"

"You were dead," Silver Claw said and looked into Amanda's eyes, "Am I dead?"

"No, you're alive," Amanda sobbed, "Loki trick us into thinking Ellie was dead."

"Why?" Silver Claw asked and rubbed his head against Amanda's neck.

"I don't know but he did teach me how to speak raptor better." Ellie replied.

Amanda slowly let go of Silver Claw and sat back down next to the stream, setting the blue stone off to her side. Amanda brushed away her tears but new ones took their place. Silver Claw lowered himself slowly and rested his hands on her lap. Silver Claw licked Amanda's cheek again and rubbed his snout against her neck. "What should we do today my mate?" He asked softly.

"I don't think you are well enough to go anywhere," Amanda said, saddened.

"What's wrong?" Silver Claw asked and gently nudged her chin up.

"I thought you were dead Silver Claw, do you know how much it hurts right now," Amanda said. "Then there is Ellie, she's still alive and I thought she was dead to. I thought I lost most of my friends and family, it hurts so much right now." Amanda started crying and wrapped her arms around Silver Claw's neck.

"I know Amanda," Silver Claw said. "We're safe and sound, and nothing is going to happen to us again."

"You don't know that," Amanda sobbed. She moved her left hand to the top of his head and stroked his feathers. "I'm just glade you're ok."

"Me too," Silver Claw purred. He slowly moved his head from her grip and lapped up some water from the stream.

"Amanda, did you get anything from that human that made Silver Claw sick?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah," Amanda sighed as she still stroked Silver Claw's feathers. She stopped and pulled out the supplies out of her pocket.

"A phone, does it work?" Ellie asked as she quickly grabbed it. She opened it and pressed the on button. "Yes, I can go home, it does work."

"Good for you," Amanda said politely.

"You're still going to stay here, aren't you?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah, I have nothing left back in my old home." Amanda said and rested her head against Silver Claw's side. "I have friends and a mate here."

"Ok," Ellie said and walked away towards the bags. She dug through her bag and pulled out a book. She walked back to Amanda and sat down by the water's edge. "We're sick Amanda," Ellie said.

"What do you mean?" Amanda questioned and sat up to look at her..

"There is a disease called DX, it is in all the dinosaurs of this island." Ellie sighed. "It can be transmitted to humans as well."

"What does it do?"

"Well from what I've read so far, it shortens life expectancy and affects the health of the eggs." Ellie said and looked down.

"Is there a cure?" Amanda asked, worried.

"Yes but Ingen never got a chance to administer it on this island, all the others, yes, but not here." Ellie replied. "Ingen took all the bottles of the cure with them when the left the island too."

"So I'm going to die sooner along with every other creature on this island?" Amanda questioned.

"Yes, unless I can convince Ingen into sparing a bit after I get off the island." Ellie said. "Then I can bring it here maybe and give it to you and Silver Claw."

"Alright then," Amanda sighed. "Who are you going to call to get you off this island?"

"I think I'll phone Ingen," Ellie replied. "They could bring the cure with them when the come…. Amanda, would you call them?"

"Why me," Amanda said. "You want to get off this island, not me."

"I'm not the best person to talk on a phone, you know that." Ellie said and handed the phone to Amanda. Ellie placed her hand on Silver Claw's back. "How are you feeling now?"

"A little sore," Silver Claw said.

"Do you know the number for Ingen?" Amanda asked.

Ellie reached into her pocket and handed Amanda a card with several numbers on it. "Turn up the volume, I want to hear their reaction when the find out where we are."

"Ok…" Amanda said as she slowly dialed the phone. "It's ringing." Amanda said, "At least the numbers is still works."

"Hello, Ingen Bioengineering, main office, how may I help you?" A female voice said.

"I would like to talk with the head of the company please," Amanda said in English.

"Mr. Hammond is in a meeting right now, can I take a message for him?" the voice asked.

"It is urgent that I speak with him, tell him it involves Isla Sorna." Amanda replied, feeling ridiculous for using the phone when Ellie was the one wanting to leave.

"Please hold." The women said.

Amanda looked to Ellie and shrugged her shoulders. "She put me on hold."

Several minutes passed until finally an elderly voice said. "Hello, Hammond speaking."

"Finally," Amanda mumbled. "Hello, my name is Amanda and I'm on Isla Sorna right now."

"Is this a joke," he asked and cleared his throat.

"No," Amanda said.

"Why did you call me?" He asked and coughed.

"We need the cure for the disease your workers called DX," Amanda said. "Also my friend wants to go home."

"DX, the cure for that was destroyed in a fire." Hammond replied and again cleared his throat.

"Well, my friend wants to go home." Amanda said, "Could you send a helicopter to pick her up at least."

"How safe are you at the moment?" He asked.

"Very, we're in the raptor nest." Amanda replied.

"This is a prank," Hammond stated in a testy tone.

"No, no," Amanda said, "They are somewhat friendly to me and my friend."

"Where about are you on the island?" He asked.

"I don't know what the building is call but it has large machines and warehouses," Amanda said, hoping he would not hang up on her.

"I will personally be there to see you tomorrow." Hammond said in an almost delighted tone. "If, however this is a prank you will be charged for several crimes when we find you."

"Thank you." Amanda said and the phone clicked.

"There's no cure for this disease!" Ellie blurted.

"Settle down Ellie, maybe they can create a new one." Amanda said and handed the phone to Ellie.

"You're right, so now I'm here for just one more night then tomorrow I'll be in a warm building without any dinosaurs to worry about." Ellie said and looked to the sky.

"Yeah," Amanda said. "You'll miss being here, the clean air, warm nights, and hanging around with me."

"Maybe but," Ellie sighed, "It will be nice to be around people for a change."

"I bet you'll screw up and speak in raptor for a while." Amanda laughed.

"Probably but I can bug my brothers with it," Ellie said.

Jack stepped out of the bushes and walked towards the group. "Silver Claw?"

"Hello Jack," Silver Claw said and bowed his head.

"Sara said you were dead." Jack said then barked three loud calls into the air.

Within several minutes, the entire pack, except Loki, were back in the nesting area. They stared in disbelief of Silver Claw being alive.

"Where's Loki?" Ellie asked.

Jack looked down slightly. "He's been banished from our territory until Sara and I see fit to let him return."

"What?" Ellie blurted. "Why would you do that to him?"

Jack's feathers stood up and his head jerked up to stare at her.

"Ellie, you do not raise your voice to question his actions," Silver Claw said. "You can ask why Loki is banished but be polite. You should apologize."

"Uh… sorry I raised my voice to you…" Ellie said and looked down slightly. "Why is Loki banished?"

"Better but you had better learn to speak properly." Jack said and sighed. "Loki was banished because he faked your death, brought humans to our nest, and hid our eggs once."

"But you said we could stay here," Amanda said softly.

"Yes but he did it without consulting me." Jack said. "Believe me when I say it wasn't easy to banish him, he is my son."

Amanda and Ellie both became quiet and looked down. Silver Claw slowly staggered to his feet and stretched his legs.

"Ellie won't be staying here long." Silver Claw said to Jack.

"Why?" Jack questioned.

"She's going home tomorrow." Silver Claw replied.

"How," Sara asked.

"There are some humans that are coming in a helicopter to pick her up." Silver Claw replied.

"They know where our nests are!" Talon hissed.

"No, the building north of here is where they are going to pick her up." Silver Claw said. The pack calmed down slight and he continued. "I would like to be there to say goodbye."

"Can you walk there?" Sunayana asked, "It is some ways away."

"I think so but I won't be able to out run any predators." Silver Claw said.

"That could be a problem," Jack said. "It might be best for you to stay here."

"I might be able to get there if I leave right now, it is almost noon and most of the other carnivores might be resting." Silver Claw said.

"I don't want you to get hurt Silver Claw." Amanda said, "But if it means this much to you, we can go right now."

Silver Claw nuzzled Amanda. "Ok my mate." He smiled.

"We'll be back tomorrow," Amanda said and bowed her head, "If you will allow us Jack, Sara.

Sara nodded her head and looked to Jack who did the same.

"Thank you," Amanda said and walked in the direction of the building.

"Goodbye," Ellie said and followed Amanda.

Silver Claw bowed his head and with a slight limp, followed Amanda. The trees and canopy were thin by comparison to rest of the island's jungle as the three walked to the building. The terrain was rough; the ground underfoot began to slope in several directions as they approached the valley, making it difficult for Silver Claw to keep his balance on already unstable legs.

"How are you holding up?" Amanda asked Silver Claw.

"I'm a little wobbly but fine so far." He replied and smiled. "I'm so happy you said yes."

"I know," Amanda smiled and looked at him. "What is the normal way for a velociraptor as for a mate?"

"Well…uh, normally a male will kill an animal and present it as a gift to the female he wants as a mate." Silver Claw replied. "I'm sorry I couldn't do that for you Amanda. I thought I was going to die and I wanted to make sure you know how I felt about you."

"It's alright Silver Claw," Amanda and stopped for a moment until he stood next to her. She placed her hand on his head and gently rubbed the spot behind his feathers as she walked along side him. "I'm not a raptor now am I? You'd probably end up eating most of the kill anyway."

"Actually no," Silver Claw sighed. "It would be a gift so I would not touch it, no matter how hungry I was."

"Oh," Amanda said. "What happens after raptors become mates?"

"I don't think you need to know that," Silver Claw said. "Only that it happens repeatedly over several days."

"That's disgusting Silver Claw." Ellie said, "You could have just said nothing."

"Yeah, you could have toned it down a bit," Amanda said and yawned.

"I suppose I should tell you about pack order now." Silver Claw said.

"It can wait," Amanda smiled. "I know a little bit already."

"Alright, but if I have to, I'll explain when the situation arises."

"We're almost there," Ellie stated. "Loki carried me past these rocks last night, shortly after we left the building."

"Ellie, I've been meaning to ask you, why didn't you come find us after Loki took you?" Amanda asked.

"He stuck me in one of the warehouses and broke the door to get out. The way in was too high for me to climb out and there was no other way out." Ellie sighed. "He did bring me out and let me cook in the kitchen and use the bathroom, though he never left my side which was a little disturbing."

"What else did you two do?" Amanda asked.

"Mostly, he asked me questions," Ellie replied. "However, he did teach me how to speak raptor better and taught me how to fight because of what Talon did."

"Oh yeah, Silver Claw taught me how to understand almost all of the raptor language and different ways to tell a raptors mood." Amanda remarked.

"I also taught you how to greet other raptors." Silver Claw said and licked her cheek. "My mate… I love saying that, my mate." Silver Claw smiled.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that dream I had." Amanda said. "In this recent one I was a raptor like last time but we had several children this time instead of eggs."

Silver Claw hummed softly. "That's nice."

"Get a nest you love birds," Ellie joked. "Save your feeling for when I'm not around."

"Oh shut up Ellie, you're just…" Amanda started but Silver Claw interrupted her.

"Something's watching us." He whispered.

"Do you know what it is?" Amanda whispered back.

"No but it is somewhere nearby." Silver Claw said and gestured towards a bush to their right.

Amanda reached behind her back for the knife but it was not there. Amanda remembered that she put it with her bag because she thought she would not be going anywhere. "I don't have my knife."

"I don't have anything either," Ellie whispered.

Suddenly an ornitholestes jumped out and made several deep repeating hisses. Ti raised its feathers and lowered itself, preparing to attack. It jumped. A sudden gust of wind struck the group and when the ornitholestes was nearly on Silver Claw, something swooped by, grabbing the ornitholestes and disappearing back into the sky. The cries of the ornitholestes quickly disappeared and the jungle became quiet.

"What the hell was that?" Ellie stammered.

"I don't know it went by too fast!" Amanda said. "Let's get out of here."

The quickly walked through the jungle and into the denser trees. The light nearly disappeared because of the thick jungle canopy. Insects buzzed around them and Ellie swatted madly at them. The light began to fad as they finally reached the valley. The sun had begun to set, lighting up the sky in orange and yellow colors. After several minutes, they reached the building and soon found the bunker. Amanda closed the door and plopped down on one of the beds.

Silver Claw slowly crawled in next to her and looked into her eyes. "How are you feeling my mate." He said, smiling.

"You just love this don't you," Amanda joked.

"Yeah I do Amanda," Silver Claw said and lightly nibbled on her chin. "You've made me the happiest I've ever been."

"How long have you felt like this for me?" Amanda asked.

"I don't know actually, maybe a few days after I found you." Silver Claw said. "I never want to be away from you." Silver Claw rested his head on Amanda's right shoulder.

Amanda placed her hand on his neck and gently rubbed it. He purred softly and licked her cheek. Amanda laughed slightly and pulled him in tight. "Goodnight my mate," Amanda whispered into his ear and kissed him. Within several minutes, she was asleep and Silver Claw soon followed.

Ellie just stared at them, shaking her head. She leaned back and stared at the concrete ceiling. I wonder how my family will respond to me being home, she thought. I will miss Amanda though. At least she is happy and has a…. husband that she loves. Ellie's eyes became heavy and she to fell asleep….


	16. Departure and Family

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 16: Departure and Family

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Amanda slowly awoke to the soft breaths of her mate. Amanda looked to see his head next to hers. She smiled. Amanda reached out with her left arm and gently rubbed his neck. Silver Claw stirred slightly and opened his eyes.

"Good morning Silver Claw." Amanda cooed in raptor.

He smiled. "Good morning Amanda, how was your sleep?"

"No dreams this time." Amanda sighed and gently kissed him. "What about you, are you in any pain today?"

"No," Silver Claw sighed and stretched his head up, yawning.

"That's good," Amanda said and pulled his head back to hers. "It's a little chilly in here."

"Really," Silver Claw questioned. "It doesn't feel that cold to me."

Amanda rolled her eyes, "Never mind." Amanda slowly sat up and stretched her arms into the air.

"Good morning love birds," Ellie joked. "There's some food over here if you want some, though I don't know how good most of it is."

"We know, after you disappeared, we stayed here for a few days." Amanda said and stood up.

Silver Claw slowly stood up and followed Amanda to the boxes of food. He reached into a box, grabbed several of the wrapped bars in his mouth, and sat down near Amanda. He placed the packages on the floor and scratched at them with his claws until one claw broke the wrapper and he could use his other claws to open the packaging. Amanda sat down next to him and laughed slightly.

"Here let me help you with that," Amanda said and grabbed the bars one by one and opened them. She held each one so he could eat it. Amanda held out the last bar and he grabbed the end of it.

"You can have this one," Silver Claw mumbled and held it out for her. Amanda reached for it but he moved it away from her hands. "Don't use your hands," Silver Claw teased.

Amanda rolled her eyes and grabbed the bar in her mouth. She pulled back and Silver Claw jerked his head back, pulling her forward. "So you want a game of tug a war then," Amanda snickered and pulled back as hard as she could, Silver Claw did not budge.

"You're going to have to better than that Amanda," Silver Claw said and pulled the bar into his mouth more. "I might just eat it if you don't."

"You won't eat it on me," Amanda said and looked into his eyes. He smiled slightly and Amanda pulled. The bar came free of Silver Claw mouth and Amanda quickly grabbed it so he could not bite onto it again. "See, I got it."

"Alright, if you two are done playing I would like to find a way up to the roof before the helicopter comes." Ellie said, shaking her head.

"Fine," Amanda sighed. She broke the bar in half and gave Silver Claw the part he drooled over and made soggy.

Amanda slowly stood up and followed Ellie to the door. Ellie pushed several buttons and the door clicked. She opened it and to their surprise, Loki was asleep outside. Amanda looked to Silver Claw.

"What is he doing here, I thought he was banished?" Amanda asked.

Ellie crouched down by him and put her hand by his head. "Loki what are you doing here?"

He stirred slightly and looked up. "Good morning all."

"What are you doing here?" Ellie repeated.

"I wanted to know if Amanda and Silver Claw could talk my father into letting me back," Loki said and looked down. "I miss my mate."

"Your father wasn't happy about banishing you but I don't think we can do anything until he says you are aloud back." Amanda said. "You're not supposed to be in the territory even, if he found out…"

"I know, but I don't know anywhere else to go." Loki said. "They won't find me anyway; I know the territory better than anyone else in my pack. Please don't tell them I'm still here."

"We won't but you have to stop hiding anyone we find and let stay with us." Silver Claw said and looked to Amanda, "Especially my mate."

"Don't worry, I found out all I needed to know about humans." Loki replied and slowly stood up. "I'll see you later then."

"I'm leaving today Loki, I might not see this island again." Ellie said.

"Oh… well goodbye Ellie." Loki said and disappeared down one of the halls to their right.

"So where do you think the stairs to the roof are?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know, but they better not be outside." Amanda said and put her hands in her pockets.

They started to walk down the hall to the left of the bunker. They passed by the familiar turn to the factory and continued down the hall. Soon the distance whirl of helicopter blades sounded faintly through the halls.

"Where are those stairs?" Ellie asked and quickened her pace, going further ahead of Amanda and Silver Claw. Ellie turned down another hall. "Found them!"

Amanda and Silver Claw turned the corner to see Ellie at the top, pushing the door open. Light flooded into the dimly lit hall and Silver Claw turned his head. A breeze blew in through the open door and rid the hall of its must air. Before long, Amanda and Silver Claw reached the top of the stairs and stood on the gravel top roof. The roof was relative flat, except for a few spot that it sunk with the roof of the rooms. At the far end of the building was the raised roof of the cafeteria and a cylindrical structure. The gap between the buildings was to the right and to the left, the front of the building.

"Where's the helicopter supposed to land?" Ellie asked.

Amanda tapped her shoulder and pointed behind them, "There maybe." The helipad was on the far right corned of the building.

"What should I do?" Silver Claw asked.

"I hope they don't bring any weapons." Amanda said and scratched the back of his head. "Just stay close to me, ok."

Silver Claw nodded in response and licked her cheek. "Just make sure you stay safe."

Amanda sighed. "It's not me I have to worry about."

In the distance, a helicopter burst from the clouds and headed towards them. The helicopter circled over the building once and moved over top of the helipad. Slowly it landed on the roof and the engine shut off. The blades stopped spinning and the doors on both sides of the helicopter opened as several armed men got out and stood facing Amanda, Ellie and Silver Claw. A man with a large medical bag, sunglasses and a cowboy hat stepped out, soon followed by an elderly man dressed in white clothing with a cane tipped with what look like amber.

The elderly man looked around and sighed before turning to Amanda, though he stayed next to the doors for the helicopter. "Hello, I'm John Hammond."

"I'm Amanda. This is Ellie and my mate Silver Claw." Amanda said and placed her hand on Silver Claw's back. The men looked at each other and then back at her.

"You said that in raptor," Ellie whispered.

"Oh sorry about that," Amanda repeated it in English.

"What was that?" The man with the medical bag asked.

"That would be raptor; Silver Claw taught me how to speak it." Amanda replied.

"So you can understand that creature?" He asked.

"His name is Silver Claw and he's my mate. I would like it if you called him by his name rather than that creature." Amanda defended and gently pet Silver Claw's neck.

"By mate, do you mean friend?" The man asked.

"This is Doctor Harding," John interrupted. "He was the vet that cared for all the animals on our islands."

"Maybe he could help then." Amanda said. "Silver Claw was wounded… maybe you could help him."

"How was he wounded?" Harding asked nervously.

"There was a man here, he's dead now, that threw a poisoned knife into Silver Claw's leg." Amanda replied.

"Dead?" One of the armed men said and raised his gun slightly.

"The spinosaur got him," Amanda answered. "Do you think you could help him?"

"I don't know, will he attack?" Harding questioned, pulling off his sunglasses.

"Not unless you threaten or hurt me or him." Amanda said. "So?"

"Have him lay down so I can see the wound," Harding said and slowly walked up.

Silver Claw looked to Amanda. She nodded and Silver Claw slowly rested himself on the gravel top. Doctor Harding slowly knelt down next to Silver Claw, watching the raptor for any movement.

"Last time I was this close to a raptor, it was sedated." Harding nervously laughed. "Are you sure he won't attack me?"

"Yes," Amanda sighed and moved over to the left of Harding. She gently pet Silver Claw's head and he purred softly.

"I don't remember any of the raptors we had doing that," Harding said as he gently examined the wound. Silver Claw flinched several times, as his leg was still tender.

"So how long have you been here Amanda?" John asked and slowly walked over to them.

"I don't know, over a two months I think." Amanda replied. "I lost count."

"Uh, I see." John said and cleared his throat. "How are you still alive, why didn't he kill you the first chance he got?"

"Silver Claw had just lost his entire pack and he was lonely," Amanda said. "He found me and wouldn't stop following me wherever I tried to run from him."

Before he could ask anything else, John started hacking and pushed heavily on his came. Harding tried to help but John waved him away. Finally he stopped and could say, "Sorry about that, I haven't been in the best health lately."

Harding knelt back down by Silver Claw. He reached into his bag and putted a bottle out and a needle. Silver Claw suddenly roared and snapped his head, biting down on Harding's arm. The men aimed the guns but prepared to fire.

"What did you do?" Amanda demanded.

"I gave him a shot of antibiotics… to help with any bacteria in his system," Harding stuttered. "Could you get him to let go?"

"You should have said something first!" Amanda said and gently rubbed Silver Claw's head until he released Harding's arm.

"Lower your guns," John said, clearing his throat.

"It didn't pierce the skin." Dr. Harding sighed. "That's good." He wiped the saliva off with his shirt. "I've had a raptor bite me before so it's nothing new."

"Do you think you'll be able to make the cure for DX?" Ellie asked.

"Maybe but I'll need a blood sample from an infected person," Harding said.

"Ellie," Amanda immediately said.

"Why me," Ellie said, "I'm just as afraid of needles as you are."

"But you're leaving Ellie." Amanda said. "And I pass out."

"Fine," Ellie said. "We can do it later though."

"Just keep the wound clean," Harding said and stood up, as did Amanda and Silver Claw. "Other wise it looks health and should be healed in a few days."

"So Mr. Hammond," Ellie started. "Your company is the one who created all the dinosaurs on this island."

"Yes," he replied, "Every single one of them until they started breeding."

"What do they mean by he created all the dinosaurs on this island?" Silver Claw asked.

"What did he say?" Harding asked.

"He's wondering what John meant by when saying that he created every dinosaur on the island." Amanda said.

"Oh, I mean that my people created the first raptors along with ever other dinosaur on this island." John replied and leaned on his cane.

"So he's the reason my mother and father and all the other elders were kept in cages!" Silver Claw hissed.

John and Harding backed away slightly and looked at Amanda.

"He's angry because you had his parents and the other first raptors locked away in cages." Amanda said and gently placed her hand on Silver Claw's side, trying to clam him down.

"We had to, they killed several people." John said.

"The last of which was a friend of mine," Harding said. "When we set them free my friend when looking for one of the raptors in particular but she was killed."

"Why did she go looking for a raptor?" Ellie asked.

"She said that it could understand her but every time I went near her when she was near or talking him, he hissed at me." Harding replied.

"Was she talking in raptor?" Ellie asked.

"No, she always talked to him in English." Harding said and looked down. "She loved that thing. She stayed with him most of the day just talking to him by the fence. That raptor probably killed her when she went to find him to say goodbye."

"Maybe not," Amanda said. "I overheard one of the raptors yesterday say that the male when looking for her but was devastated when he found her dead."

"Who was the raptor?" Ellie asked.

Amanda looked down. "I think it was Silver Claw's father."

Silver Claw stared at her. "Are you sure?"

"We can ask when we get back." Amanda said. "What was her name?"

"Tessa," Harding said. "She was one of my students."

"Oh," Amanda said. "Well I'm sorry."

John walked away from the group and toward the edge of the building. "I've missed this place," he sighed. "I wish I could get it operational again."

"The raptors wouldn't approve of that, not to mention all the other carnivores on the island." Amanda said.

"I know," John said. "It was my dream to clone the dinosaurs, to have something you could… touch."

"Like that miniature elephant you had." Harding remarked.

"Yes," John sighed. "But that's all over now, I'm getting too old."

John turned around and walked back to the group. He reached them and looked at Silver Claw, who stood slightly taller than he did.

"Maybe Silver Claw will let you pet him if you ask." Amanda said.

"May I?" John asked.

Silver Claw nodded his head. John slowly reached out with a slight tremble in his hand and placed it on Silver Claw's head. He laughed slightly but then started hacking and had to cover his mouth.

"Are you alright Mr. Hammond?" Dr. Harding asked as he moved to help the old man.

"I'm fine, it's just a cold." John said and waved away Harding once more. "What is that?"

Amanda and Silver Claw looked to see a raptor looking out the doorway of the stairs, a female raptor.

"We know you're there," Amanda said. "You can come out."

"I just came here to say goodbye to Ellie, as did several of the other members." Sunayana said revealing herself.

"What's your real reason?" Ellie asked.

"We wanted to see why they haven't left our territory yet." Sunayana sighed. "My father is not happy with more humans here."

"Who's this?" John asked.

"Her name is Sunayana, she the daughter of the alpha pair." Amanda said. "Please make sure those men don't aim their guns because more of the pack is around here."

"Is it ok if we come over there?" Sunayana asked.

Amanda repeated what Sunayana said in English. John gave a simple nod. "Yes," Amanda replied. "Just please don't attack anyone, they have weapons."

Slowly the other members emerged from the stairway; Jack and Sara were among them. In total, seven members of the pack walked over to the group. The sniffed the air and Jack seemed to be agitated slightly.

"That scent…. I recognize it." Jack said and looked at Harding and hissed. "You, you're the one who put me in that cage. Fang, Grey, Elise, we have the human that locked us away in front of us."

Harding became nervous. "What did they say?"

"Jack, the alpha male recognizes you from when you locked him in a cage." Amanda said. "And there are three others whom you also locked up."

"Christ…. Mr. Hammond it think it would be best if we leave right now." Harding said and backed away.

"Why should we let you leave," Jack hissed, "When you forced us to eat that filth you called food, not able to hunt, the small enclosure, the unending boredom!"

Amanda repeated what Jack said. "Jack, it was for their safety as well as yours."

"Maybe so but we escaped four times and every time they put us back in those small enclosures, except for my mate who managed to hide by herself for a long time until we found her again." Jack hissed. "She was alone almost since she hatched."

Amanda sighed and repeated again, what Jack said.

"I'm sorry that you had to live like that but you did kill several of our people in the process," Harding said. "Remember the girl who would talk to your leader."

"We did no such thing. We never touched a human in our escapes." Jack said. "That was another, a green one."

"Tyrannous…" Silver Claw hissed. "He is going to die."

"Who is this Tyrannous?" Sara asked.

"He killed my father, mother, my siblings, and two females, one that offered to be his mate and the other defending our nests."

"What were the female's names?" A male raptor asked and stepped forward.

"I think it was Sapphire, Ruby and then my mother Amber." Silver Claw replied.

"That monster will pay for killing three of our daughters," the male hissed and looked to his mate. "My name is Fang by the way and this is my mate Elise."

"So you're my…" Silver Claw started.

"Yes I am your mother's father." Fang said. "How many siblings did you have?"

"Four others," Silver Claw said and looked down. "I had two brothers and two sisters."

"If you don't mind," Elise said. "What happened to them?"

"Tyrannous killed them in front of my mother then pushed her off a cliff." Silver Claw whimpered and lowered himself to the ground, looking away from them.

Fang and Elise looked to each other and then to Jack. "Can we hunt this raptor? He shall die a painful death for this!"

"What are they talking about?" John asked. "Is it about us?"

"No, they're talking about the raptor that may have killed Tessa," Amanda said, "Though it might be best if you leave."

"Wait a moment…" Jack said, ignoring Fang, "The other human, the old one. I remember him as well. He was the one who held me after I hatched."

After Amanda translated it, John sighed. "Yes I did."

"What happened to my parents?" Jack asked.

Amanda looked to John. "He wants to know what happened to his parents."

"Uh… he has none; we created him in this lab just like all the other dinosaurs." John said. "I guess the raptor the DNA sample came from would be his parents."

Jack looked down.

"I think it would be best if we left now." John said and turned away, walking to the helicopter. He entered the helicopter and sat down.

"Remember to keep the wound clean and I'll work on that cure." Harding said and followed John.

"I guess I should go as well," Ellie said. She hugged Amanda, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye Ellie," Amanda said, tears started to roll down her face. "Be sure you come back for a visit sometime."

"I will," Ellie said and stepped away. "Stay safe."

"I will," Amanda said.

"Bye Sunayana, bye Silver Claw," Ellie said in raptor, "Goodbye everyone else." Ellie walked to the helicopter and hopped in next to Harding.

John looked at the raptors. "I think I have a way to preserve the island from the investors." He said to Harding. "I need to contact Ian."

The armed men got in and closed the doors. The engine started and the blades spun. The helicopter lifted off and started moving off towards the mainland. Ellie waved in from inside the helicopter until it disappeared from sight.

Amanda wiped the tears from her eyes. "Goodbye Ellie," She said quietly.

Silver Claw looked up to Amanda and slowly stood up. He gently licked her cheek and then nuzzled her neck. "Her family will be happy."

"Yeah I know," Amanda said and placed her hand on Silver Claw's neck. "Should we go back to the nests?"

"Yes," Jack sighed. "We have a lot to think about. I'll decide later if we should hunt do Tyrannous, but for now lets just rest."

The trip back to the nests was a quiet one. Jack seemed almost saddened as he walked through the jungle and separated himself from the group. Silver Claw stayed close to Amanda, gently brushing up against her and licking her cheek. After an hour of walking, they emerged from the jungle and into the nests. The raptors went their separate ways, checking on their eggs and tending to their nests.

"I think I should tell you about the pack order and who's related to whom," Sunayana said.

"Maybe," Amanda sighed. "But I think I'm going to get a drink first."

"Alright but I have to tell to about the pack order before the end of the day," Sunayana sighed. "My father told me to do so because he doesn't want any problems."

Amanda walked over to the stream and cupped her hand, scooping up some water and then drinking it. Silver Claw stood next to her and soon knelt by the stream too. He lapped up some water and looked around. Soon Amanda stood up and looked at Sunayana.

"Are you done?" Sunayana asked.

"Yes." Amanda replied.

"Ok, come with me," Sunayana said and walked over to an empty area in the nesting grounds by a large bush. As soon as Amanda was there, she said. "This is your nesting area."

"So this is where I am to sleep." Amanda said.

"Yes, I suggest you build a nest before night." Sunayana said. "But first I have to explain some things to you." She lowered herself to the ground.

Amanda sat down in front of Sunayana and crossed her legs. Silver Claw slowly sat down next to Amanda and stared at Sunayana.

"So what do I have to learn first?" Amanda asked.

"The pack order," Sunayana said. "Ok, the alpha pair is Jack and Sara, out beta is Anna." Sunayana pointed her out in the nests. "Next was Loki her mate, then Fang, myself." She looked around for a moment. "Marks next but he's not here right now, then it's Rebecca, she's Talon's mate." Sunayana pointed out the female and sighed, "After Rebecca is Elise who you met already, Talon, my mate Blaze." Sunayana smiled briefly. "Samantha is after Blaze then Arthur and Grey." Sunayana sighed. "And now after Grey is Silver Claw then you Amanda."

"So I'm at the very bottom of the list." Amanda sighed.

"Yes," Sunayana sighed. "When a higher member tells you to do something, you should do it unless you want a fight. Also you won't be expected to do anything but watch the eggs while you're here."

"I can hunt," Amanda said. "You saw me before we went back to Silver Claw."

"No I didn't actually. I came afterward."

"Oh, well I'm sure Talon or Samantha saw me." Amanda said.

"Sunayana are you coming hunting?" Jack asked.

"Uh…. Yeah, be right there." Sunayana said. "I'll explain how each raptor is related to each other later. Bye." Sunayana stood up and walked over to the small group of raptors by Jack.

"Anyone else," Jack asked even though only Amanda and Silver Claw were the only ones left in the nests. "No… alright. Amanda, Silver Claw you are in charge of nest duty."

The group soon disappeared into the jungle, leaving Amanda and Silver Claw alone. Amanda looked to Silver Claw and smiled.

"I guess I should teach you about building your nest." Silver Claw said.

"You mean our nest."

"A nest isn't big enough for both of us." Silver Claw replied.

"We could make it big enough for the both of us," Amanda said and rubbed his neck.

Silver Claw purred. "Ok my mate."

"So how do we start?" Amanda asked.

"Let's decide on a spot first." Silver Claw said then looked around.

"Maybe there," Amanda said and pointed to the base of a tree where it opened up to form a large triangular opening. "It's sheltered from the rain and overlooks the nests."

Silver Claw walked over to the spot and nudged the ground. He pushed several of the leaves around and nudged the wood. "This would be a perfect spot. Good choice Amanda."

"Thank you," she smiled. "What do we do first?"

"Gather some leaves and sticks," Silver Claw said as he cleaned the area of any debris, exposing the dark soil beneath.

Amanda sighed and stepped into the bushes, gathering branches. When she had a bundle of branches in her arms, Amanda walked back to Silver Claw and placed them by his feet. "Are these good?"

Silver Claw pushed several through the pile, throwing several back into the bushes. "Most of them, several were rotten."

"Ok, now what do you want me to do?" Amanda questioned.

"Line them up to how you want the nest shaped." Silver Claw said. "We're going to need more branches after."

"Ok…" Amanda said and knelt down. She moved the branches into a large circle and stood up. "How does that look?"

"Very good, now we need to cover it with dirt from inside the nest." Silver Claw said and using his front claws, dug into the center. He brought dirt up and covered the circle of sticks. Amanda quickly helped him until the covered the entire circle in a thin layer of dirt. "Get some more branches please."

Amanda sighed. "Alright, could you help me?"

"Yeah," Silver Claw said and followed her into the bushes. They gathered several larger branches and returned to build their nest.

A small chirp sounded and Silver Claw's head snapped up to see a compy over one of the female raptor nests, one with eggs. He dropped the branches he had. Silver Claw lunged at the compy and managed to grab it just before it bit down on an egg. He tossed the small animal at the tree where Amanda stood, breaking the creatures back. Silver Claw examined the eggs.

"Are they alright?" Amanda asked.

Silver Claw sighed. "Yes." He returned to Amanda and helped place the branches in a circle again. They pile more dirt on the nest and soon it was almost complete.

"What else do we do?" Amanda asked.

"We fill in the hole in the bottom with leaves and other soft things until it is the desired height." Silver Claw said and reached for the leaves.

"Wait," Amanda said as walked over to the bags, she grabbed both bags and walked back. She opened Ellie's bag and pulled out some cloths. "Could we use these?"

"Sure," Silver Claw said. "How high do you want it?"

Amanda placed the cloths in the bottom but pulled them back out. "It's too low yet. Could you put some leaves in?"

Silver Claw pushed a pile of leaves into the nest and stepped back. Amanda placed the cloths on the leaves and pushed down. She smiled.

"Is it good now my mate?" Silver Claw asked.

"Yes it is Silver Claw," Amanda smiled. "You want to try it out?"

"Sure," Silver Claw said and curled up in the nest. "Are you going to join me?"

Amanda smiled and laid her head on the rim of the nest but her legs stuck out on the other side. "My legs are sticking out but other wise it is fine."

"Do you want to make the nest larger my love?" Silver Claw asked as her tenderly licked her cheek.

"No," Amanda said and turned to her side to look at him. "I think I'll have a little sleep."

"Alright but what about the compsognathus I killed, it is by your feet."

"You can have it," Amanda sighed and shifted until she was comfortable.

Silver Claw slowly stood up, grabbed the compy and moved over to the stream. The blood trickled from his jaws and onto the ground as he ate. Finally, he finished and looked into the stream. His reflection stared back. Silver Claw sighed and swatted at the water.

"I hope she doesn't feel I forced her into being my mate." Silver Claw mumbled. "I only want her to be happy."

Silver Claw dragged his claw through the water, stirring up the bottom. He lowered his head and lapped up some water then looked back to Amanda. She was asleep. He smiled.

She seems happy, Silver Claw thought. I wonder what she would look like as a velociraptor. From the sound of her dreams, she would like to be one but…. how?

Hours passed and the sky began to darken. It was dusk when the pack finally returned. Four of them had their head hung low; one member was not among them.

Sunayana walked up to Silver Claw. "Don't mention anything about Grey to the other members, we lost him." She whispered.

"How?" Silver Claw quietly asked in shock.

"One of the triceratops rampaged when we attack the gallimimus herd and killed him in the process." Sunayana said. "He had four children in this pack."

"Oh," Silver Claw sighed and looked down. He slowly stood up, walked over to Amanda and curled up with her.

"Hello," Amanda moaned and opened her eyes. "Wow, it is pretty dark out."

"Yeah," Silver Claw sighed. "Don't mention anything about Grey, he died."

"How?" Amanda asked in a low tone.

"Triceratops," Silver Claw replied.

"That's sad." Amanda sighed.

"Yeah," silver Claw sighed. "Amanda, I have a question to ask you."

"Yes Silver Claw," Amanda said and snuggled up closer to Silver Claw.

"I was wondering if you felt almost forced into being my mate because of the way I asked you." Silver Claw said and looked down. "I mean it looked like I was going to die."

"No!" Amanda said. "Even if you asked me properly I would have said yes."

"Really," Silver Claw questioned and looked up.

"Really," Amanda smiled and kissed him in the snout. "Are you going to sleep?"

"Yes," Silver Claw sighed. "I stayed up watching the nests."

"Goodnight then," Amanda said and shifted to get comfortable again.

Silver Claw yawned. "Goodnight Amanda." Silver Claw licked Amanda's cheek and placed his head next to hers. He curled his tail over he legs and soon was asleep.

Amanda stared at the night sky. The little bits of sky she could see through the canopy glittered with stars. Amanda yawned and closed her eyes. I love this island, Amanda thought. I hope nothing happens to ruin this.

* * *

Author Note: Thanks for the reviews. I worked on this all day because as I said before, I update faster with more reviews. A hint a next the next chapter is the title:

"Trouble in Paradise"


	17. Trouble in Paradise

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 17: Trouble in Paradise

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Silver Claw slowly awoke. The soft call of distant birds and the deep cries of the brachiosaurs sounded through the jungle. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves in the treetops and a light mist clung to the ground. Silver Claw looked around, the other raptor were already awake and moving about. He slowly slipped out from Amanda's grip and walked over to the other raptors.

"Good morning," Silver Claw greeted and bowed his head.

"How are you feeling?" Sunayana asked.

"Fine," Silver Claw replied. "The wounds a little tender but otherwise I'm fine."

"Are you well enough to go hunting?" Jack asked.

"I think so," Silver Claw said. "Are you leaving soon?"

"Yes," Jack replied. "Are you coming?"

"What about Amanda?" Silver Claw asked. "Is she on nest duty again?"

"Yes," Jack said. "Rebecca is staying as well if you come with us."

"Ok, I just have to tell Amanda," Silver Claw said and returned to his nest. "Amanda, you awake?"

"Now I am," Amanda moaned. "What is it?"

"I'm going hunting with the pack," Silver Claw said.

"Am I allowed to come?" Amanda asked.

"No," Silver Claw sighed. "Jack still has you on nest duty."

Amanda groaned. "Is anyone here with me?"

"Rebecca," Silver Claw replied and licked her cheek. "I'll bring some food back here for you."

"Ok, don't get hurt." Amanda smiled.

"I won't." Silver Claw slowly walked over to group of raptor.

Amanda watched as the raptors slowly walked off towards the lake. She sighed and rolled onto her back, looking at the female raptor tending to her nest. The female lifted her head as if she was listening to something. She showed her teeth and looked to Amanda.

"Hello Amanda," she snarled.

Amanda quickly sat up. "Hello… Rebecca."

Amanda examined the raptor. Her body was slender but muscular. Several scars covered her tail and a bite impression marked her neck. Her dark yellow eyes lie at the center of a circle of crimson red scales. Rebecca tilted her head slightly and showed her teeth even more.

"Time for you earn your keep." Rebecca smiled. "Get up!"

Amanda slowly stood up and stretched her back. "What do you want?"

"Get leaves and place them over the eggs," she barked. "Hurry up."

Amanda sighed and moved around the nesting area, grabbing leaves as she went. Amanda put a layer of leaves over one nest with eight eggs and immediately the raptor hissed at her.

"Spread it out evenly and do not put so much on, are you trying to kill them?" Rebecca barked. "Hurry up!"

Amanda rolled her eyes and pulled some leaves off. "You could help me." Amanda said politely.

"No, you have to earn your place." Rebecca hissed. "Hurry up."

"There, happy." Amanda said a little more angrily when she finished.

"Did I hear attitude," Rebecca snarled. "Are you looking to fight me?"

"No," Amanda said calmly. "Why are you so angry with me?"

"Do you know who my mate is?" Rebecca asked but Amanda shook her head. "No? It's Talon."

"Talon's being nice to me," Amanda said as she moved to another nest of nine eggs and put leaves on them.

"Too little, add more." Rebecca snapped. "Talon was only nice because Jack told him to be."

"Still, you could be a little nicer." Amanda said and moved to the last nest with six eggs. "It's not like being nice to me is going kill you."

"Was that a threat?" She hissed and raised her claws, "Because I'm just waiting for a good reason to end your life for getting Talon in trouble."

"What else do you want me to do?" Amanda said and exhaled heavily, trying not to get angry at the female.

"Replace the leaves in the other nests." Rebecca said and sat next to the stream. "Hurry up, you don't have all day."

* * *

Meanwhile the group of raptors reached the edge of the plain. The plain was empty of life except for a single creature feasting on a gallimimus carcass at its center, Loki. The smell of blood filled the air and it agitated the raptors even more because it would attract other carnivores. 

Jack snarled. "I told him he was banished from our territory."

Jack quickly raced out onto the field, followed by the rest of the pack. Loki saw this and ran in the opposite direction, disappearing into the jungle. Jack slowed down at the kill and looked down. It was fresh, only Loki had eaten from it. Jack waited for Sara and soon both dug into the carcass, tearing off massive chunks of flesh. Before long, the rest of the pack joined in and started eating.

Silver Claw watched as the raptors ate. He knew he would not get in until they were finished but he was used to this because of his original pack. Even though his mother and father were the alpha pair for a while, he was almost the bottom rank. After Tyrannous killed his parents and the two females, Silver Claw only dropped in rank to the omega position.

The same was for Sophia though. She was only one rank above Silver Claw and it stayed that way when Scar and Erica, her parents, took over the alpha position after the death of Seth and Amber. After which, Sophia's parents took Silver Claw in because he was still too young to be on his own.

Finally, Silver Claw saw his chance to get in. He slowly walked up and sunk his teeth into the thick flesh of the tail. Silver Claw violently shook his head until the piece came free of the bone. He quickly moved away from the kill and laid in the grass, eating the chunk in large bites. As Silver Claw finished, he looked to see the kill diminished of edible food for Amanda.

The pack moved off to the grass and basked in the sun. Silver Claw looked desperately through the kill for anything Amanda said she could eat but he found nothing. Suddenly a roar erupted from the jungle and a tyrannosaurus broke from the trees. A familiar scar ran down the side of its head. Each step it took shook the ground as it quickly approached. The raptors scrambled to their feet and ran off into the jungle. Silver Claw paused for a moment, quickly checking once more for anything he could take for Amanda but gave up and followed the others into the jungle.

Silver Claw soon caught up to the pack and stopped. He sighed and looked at them to see them staring at him. "What?" Silver Claw asked.

"The rex was nearly at the kill, why did you stay?" Talon asked.

"I was looking for something Amanda could eat." Silver Claw replied and looked down. "I didn't find anything though."

"Don't do that again." Jack hissed. "That tyrannosaur sometimes chases what ever was at the kill until either it gets tired or catches what it is chasing."

"Oh, it won't happen again." Silver Claw said and bowed his head.

"Alright, back to the nests then." Sara barked to the group.

Silver Claw looked at the ground as he walked back to the nests. The distant steps of massive creatures echoed through the jungle. Silver Claw sighed and looked to the sky. A dark shape, too far away to identify it, drifted through the clouds.

Within an hour, the group reached the nests. Silver Claw looked around for Amanda but she was nowhere in sight. Rebecca was asleep in her nest. He slowly walked over to her.

"Rebecca, where's Amanda?" Silver Claw asked.

Rebecca yawned, exposing a large piece of grey material in her mouth. "What did you say?"

"What's that in your teeth?" Silver Claw asked. "And where is Amanda?"

"I have something in my teeth," She said and used her claws to get it out. The grey material fell to the ground near Silver Claw.

"This is from Amanda's cloths," Silver Claw hissed. "Where is she?"

"Amanda… hmmm…. I cannot remember. Who is she again?" Rebecca said and showed her teeth.

Silver Claw raised his feathers and claws. "Where is she?" He hissed.

"Watch your attitude towards me omega," Rebecca hissed and looked up to the trees.

Silver Claw looked up to see Amanda's leg dangling out over the edge of a flattened part of the tree. "Amanda?" he questioned quietly then called out. "Amanda."

Her leg moved slightly and her head appeared. "Hi Silver Claw," Amanda said but did not attempt to come down.

"Are you coming down?" Silver Claw asked.

"No," Amanda said in a calm tone. "Not as long as…. Rebecca…. is here."

"Why?"

"She made me do all the work around here then," Amanda said and took in a deep breath. "She attacked me and took a chunk of my shorts with her."

"She attacked you!" Silver Claw hissed and looked at Rebecca. "How dare you!" He raised his claws and hissed at her more.

"She also stole that stone you gave me and hid it in her nest." Amanda added.

"Did you do this?" Sara asked.

"No," Rebecca defended. "She lies."

"Check her nest." Amanda said from the tree.

Rebecca did not budge but instead she hissed back at Silver Claw.

"Rebecca, get up." Sara said, "If Amanda is lying she will be punished for it."

Rebecca slowly stood up. "See… nothing."

"Check under the leaves." Amanda said and shifted slightly in the tree.

Sara slowly walked over and Rebecca stepped aside. Sara stuck her claws in the leaves and dragged them around. She hit something. Sara tapped it several times before she reached in with her mouth and pulled out a knife in its sheath. She continued looking and soon found the blue stone.

"What is this?" Sara demanded.

Rebecca looked down.

"You did attack Amanda then?" Sara questioned.

"Yes," Rebecca admitted.

"Why?"

"She's a human," Rebecca hissed.

"She's your family." Sara hissed back and Rebecca ducked her head.

"No! She is not related to me."

"Silver Claw's mother was Fang and Elise's daughter as are you." Sara said. "Now Amanda is Silver Claw's mate, his family, and you will treat her with respect. Understood?"

Rebecca's head trembled slightly. "Yes."

Sara let out a satisfactory snort. "You are on night watch until I say otherwise." Silver Claw grabbed the stone and knife before walking back to his nest. He placed the objects by the bag and looked up.

"Are you coming down?" He asked.

"Could you find me some shorts to wear, these are ruined." Amanda said.

Silver Claw stuck his snout in the bag and pulled out something.

"No, that's a shirt." Amanda sighed. Silver Claw reached in and pulled out another thing. "Shirt… shirt… pants… socks… those are shorts, thank you. Would you come around to the other side of the tree please?"

Silver Claw slowly walked around the tree and looked up. Amanda slowly started to climb down. Silver Claw looked away when he saw the large hole in her shorts. Soon she reached the ground and took the shorts from his mouth.

"Do you mind?" She asked as Silver Claw stared at her.

He tilted his head. "What?"

"I want to change." Amanda sighed.

"Yeah," Silver Claw said and continued to stare at her.

Amanda sighed. "Could you go?"

"Why?" Silver Claw asked. "You are my mate."

"Yes but I don't want you seeing something." Amanda said.

"Like what?" Silver Claw said. "I've seen you changing before."

"You haven't seen one thing." Amanda said and blushed.

"What?" Silver Claw asked.

"A tattoo," Amanda said and looked down, her face reddened even more.

"What is a tattoo?" He asked with a puzzled expression on his face.

"You promise not to tell anyone," Amanda questioned.

"I promise my mate." Silver Claw said and licked her cheek.

"Ok," Amanda sighed and turned away from him. She lifted her shirt slightly and pushed down a little on her shorts. "I got it without my parent's permission and haven't told anyone about it until now."

"What is it?" Silver Claw asked.

"A butterfly," Amanda said. She suddenly felt his tongue touch her skin and she jumped forward. "What are you doing?" She turned around to see him smiling at her.

"Nothing my mate," Silver Claw purred.

"Don't do that again." Amanda said and used the shirt to cover herself while she slipped out of the old shorts and into the good ones. "There," Amanda said. "What should we do with these?"

"I don't know," Silver Claw admitted.

"Here, help me burry them." Amanda said. "That might be best."

Silver Claw watched as Amanda quickly dug a hole at the base if the tree and put the shorts inside. She pushed the dirt back and tapped the ground slightly. Amanda sighed.

Silver Claw moved his head next to her ear. "I love the tattoo."

Amanda blushed red. "Don't you dare bring it up again," Amanda said. "I only told you because you're my mate but I don't want anyone else to find out."

"Alright my love," Silver Claw purred.

"So where's my lunch?" Amanda said and smiled.

Silver Claw only looked down.

"Oh… that's ok." Amanda sighed and rubbed his neck. "Come on. Let's go back to our nest." She started to walk around the tree, followed by Silver Claw.

"I'm sorry Amanda," Silver Claw said. "Loki killed and animal so we scavenged off it."

"You saw Loki?" Amanda asked.

"Yes, Jack isn't too happy about it either." Silver Claw said and curled up in the nest.

Amanda picked up the blue stone and looked at it. Several new scratches covered it. Amanda picked up the knife and looked at the tree. She started cutting into the bark above the nest until she could set the stone into it. She stepped back.

"How does that look?" Amanda asked Silver Claw. "It's a good spot so we can always see it."

"Beautiful my mate," Silver Claw said and tugged on her shorts slightly. "Come lay with me."

Amanda slowly sat in the nest next to him. She looked into his deep red eyes and smiled. "I love so much Silver Claw."

"I love you too." Silver Claw said and curled his tail over her legs. "I think will have a nap."

"That might be nice." Amanda said. "I did a lot today." Soon both were asleep while the pack remained busy.

"Look at them," Sara said. "Just like us when we were young."

"Yeah," Jack sighed. "I wonder how long it'll last."

"What do you mean?" Sara asked.

"She is a human," Jack said as he nuzzled their eggs. "They are different species, they can't have children and she can't defend herself as well as raptor could." He looked at her.

"But love is love." Sara said and nuzzled him.

"Yeah," Jack sighed and looked back to the eggs. "How long do you think it'll take them to hatch?"

"A few weeks yet," Sara smiled. "If they all hatch we'll have eight more children."

"Oh the delight," Jack joked and smiled slightly, "Eight little raptors attacking me every morning because they're hungry."

"Yeah," Sara said. "You miss that don't you?"

"Of course," Jack sighed and nuzzled her.

* * *

On another part of the island, Tyrannous looked down at a beach. A group of humans walked about it. Most of them were dressed in white and held out food to several seated people. Off shore, a large boat rocked in the waves. The roar of crashing waves sounded from down the beach by the step cliffs. 

Tyrannous sat on the ridge of a hill. He could not go near the humans incase they were armed as Amanda once was. He could not risk an injury like that when he was this close to the rex nest, not only that but he might be stuck on guarding the nest if he was injured.

"Why do they always stay together," Tyrannous asked himself. "It's all Amanda's fault I was hurt." Because of his age and previous injuries, Tyrannous had stayed the omega of the pack even though he could easily kill the alpha pair if he wanted to but the pack would not accept him if he did. Nearly and hour passed as Tyrannous watched the group.

Tyrannous watched as a young girl started to wander away. He smiled slightly but that turned to anger when an adult confronted the young girl. He could faintly hear them arguing but the young girl soon moved down the beech. Tyrannous moved along the ridge of the hill until he saw her heading into the jungle. She suddenly stopped.

"Come to me little human." Tyrannous said to himself. "Wander a little more away from your group and you're mine."

He watched as a compy jumped out from the bushes in front of the girl. She knelt down by the small animal.

"No," he hissed. "You're too close to your group."

He could her talking to the compy, although it was faint. She held out what looked to be food and stood up when the compy took it. "Mummy! Daddy! You've got to come see this! I found something!"

"No!" Tyrannous hissed. "Don't call them over."

Suddenly the girl backed away from the bushes as more compsognathus jumped out. She backed away more but the compies surrounded her.

In the distance, a female voice called out. "Cathy, darling, lunch is ready!"

The girl screamed repeatedly, throwing something onto the ground. No, Tyrannous thought. As the compies piled onto her, he could only watch as the group of humans came rushing over and pulled the compsognathus off. He turned around and hissed before he rushed back into the jungle. In the distance, he could hear that the pack was calling his false name.

* * *

Three weeks passed as Amanda slowly gained the respect of the pack. A few of the other pack members openly showed their anger towards her but most respected her enough to bring food for her on occasion. Silver Claw had since healed completely but Jack allowed them to stay. 

Amanda stared at the morning sky. Silver Claw had his head on her chest and his tail over her legs. She sighed. Another day of nest duty, Amanda thought. Silver Claw stayed with her most of the time since Rebecca attack her but occasionally another one of friendlier raptors would stay in his place.

"Good morning Amanda." Sunayana said.

"Good morning." Amanda replied as she continued to stare into the canopy.

"Silver Claw still asleep?" she asked.

"Yeah," Amanda sighed and tilted her head to see that Sunayana was standing over her.

"Today's your lucky day," Sunayana said. "Jack said you are off nest duty and can go hunting with us."

"Really?" Amanda questioned. "I hope I don't screw up anything."

"You're hunting by yourself," Sunayana sighed. "He wants to see if you'll be able to hunt alone before he puts you in a group."

"Oh…. I've only hunted twice before." Amanda admitted.

"Yeah I know. You caught something both times." Sunayana said with a smile. "Try and make it three."

Silver Claw moaned slightly. "Good morning Amanda." He lifted his head up and yawned, noticing Sunayana. "Oh, hi Sunayana," Silver Claw said.

"Amanda is coming hunting with us today." She said.

"Really?" Silver Claw asked and looked to Amanda.

"I have to hunt by myself though." Amanda sighed. "Because Jack wants to see if I can hunt before he puts me in a group."

"Remember not to pick something big or dangerous." Silver Claw said, slightly worried.

"That would probably guarantee me to hunt in the groups." Amanda said and dragged her hands down the sides of he face. "I'm so tired of staring at these eggs all day, sure you or someone else is here to keep me company but I haven't gone more that a hundred meters away from the nests in over three weeks."

"Yeah, you must be bored." Silver Claw said. "This is a good spot because nothing comes here that often."

"Well she won't have to stay here if she can kill something big." Sunayana said. "Maybe… an adult gallimimus would convince him. I don't think he is expecting you to catch something that big though."

"I hope not." Amanda said. "Maybe I should make a spear?"

"As long as you don't cut your finger again," Silver Claw said. "Would a spear be able to kill an animal?"

"If I can get close enough, yes." Amanda sighed. "Where will I be hunting?"

"The field where we usually hunt," Sunayana said. "There are a lot of large herbivores there."

"You're going to do fine my mate," Silver Claw said and licked her cheek. "You've hunter twice with success each time. My first hunt I jumped over the animal and hit my head on a tree."

Amanda laughed slightly and rubbed his head. She looked towards the other raptors to see them gathering. "I think we're going soon."

Sunayana looked back. "Yeah I think so, you better get ready."

Amanda slowly rolled out of the nest and sat up. She dug through her bag and grabbed two knives. Amanda looked back to see Jack approaching her.

"You're hunting with us today," Jack said.

Amanda bowed her head. "Thank you."

Jack let out a satisfactory snort and walked away. Amanda, Silver Claw and Sunayana soon followed. They reached a small group of raptors.

"Rebecca and Mark, you are on nest duty today while we see if Amanda can move up in the pack," Sara said.

The two raptors bowed their heads and immediately started to tend to the nests. The group walked away and towards the plain. Silver Claw, Sunayana and Amanda stayed near the back of the group.

"No pressure hey," Amanda nervously laughed.

"Just try to make sure you don't let anything you try to kill get away," Sunayana said, "And you'll do just fine."

"I hope you're right Sunayana." Amanda said. "I'm pretty nervous though."

"Try to cut the neck or behind the knee," Sunayana said. "Those spots will bring most of the herbivores to the ground."

"Not the ankylosaurs," Silver Claw remarked, "Stay away from them though Amanda, the have a huge club tail that will break bones in an instant."

"Yeah, those things are too big for me." Amanda said. "What should I do when I'm hunting?"

"Well, try to stay hidden until you can get a clear shot at the animal," Sunayana said. "If you can, sneak up behind them."

"Also, watch for other animals because some will attack you on sight." Silver Claw added. "Try and go for the young, sick, and old animals if you can."

"Ok," Amanda sighed.

Nearly an hour passed before they reached the plain. It was full of life, brachiosaurs grazed off the north while the herds of gallimimus and other small dinosaurs grazed at the center, and triceratops fought amounts each other along the tree line.

"Alright Amanda," Jack said. "You go try and catch something."

"Maybe she shouldn't," Silver Claw said. "That triceratops herd is close to the tree line and the smaller animals are at the center."

"Don't worry Silver Claw," Amanda said and kissed him. "I'll be fine."

"Go prove what you're worth Amanda," Sara said. "We'll be watching from the hill over there."

Amanda inhaled heavily. "Ok." She began to walk down a slight hill and towards the herds of dinosaurs.

Amanda soon reached the tree line and looked out over the field. A strong breeze blew towards her so the animal could not smell her at least. Most of the gallimimus herd had moved off to the northern part of the plain but the triceratops were closer than before to where Amanda stood. She watched as two of the triceratops roared and barked at each other until finally they locked horns, it was terrific sound as the two animals pushed and against each other, roaring and barking until the smaller animal pulled away. Nearby, a large triceratops slept, its head marked with scars and a large tear through its frill.

"Well it's worth a shot," Amanda mumbled to herself and slipped into the dense jungle. She quietly moved into position, the animal was close enough to the trees that if it woke, Amanda might be able to hide before it got her. She pulled out both knives.

* * *

Meanwhile Silver Claw watched from the hill. He was becoming nervous after Amanda disappeared into the jungle and had not reappeared for some time. "Where could she be?" 

"Amanda probably went around to the smaller animals," Jack said then saw her moving out towards the sleeping triceratops, "Or not."

"What is she doing? She going to get herself killed!" Silver Claw nearly shouted.

"Why is she going after a triceratops?" Sara asked. "Is she looking to die?"

"No, she wants to be allowed to hunt with us because she was bored out of her mind at the nests." Sunayana said and looked down. "I told her that if she caught something big, she might have a better chance of getting to come with us."

"I just wanted to know if she could hunt or not." Jack said, looking at his daughter. "She only had to ask if she wanted to hunt with us. I brought her with us because she was in the nests that long."

Sunayana looked down.

* * *

Amanda moved closer to the sleeping animal. A musty smell, like rotting eggs and fish, nearly made her puke as she approached the animal. Its massive size and smell intimidated her but she kept going. Amanda kept to the back of the animal so that the others wound not see her… hopefully. Large pebble like brown skin covered the body of the triceratops that would be too thick to cut with a knife so she moved forward. Amanda finally reached the front legs, though her legs now trembled. Every breath the animal took sent a chill down her spine. 

Suddenly at the other end of the field, the gallimimus shrieked, followed by a raptor call. The triceratops awoke, though it did not see Amanda because she was still behind its leg. Amanda trembled with fear. The large frill swiveled slightly, exposing the neck on her side. Amanda took the chance; she moved around the leg and stabbed both knives up to the handles into the exposed creature's soft neck.

With a speed, Amanda never knew an animal could have, the triceratops stood up and spun its horns to face her. Her heart nearly stopped. Amanda stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. The triceratops lunged forward and Amanda rolled to avoid the horns. She felt herself forced to stop and looked to see one of the horns impaled through her shirt, pinning her to the ground. Amanda suddenly felt herself pulled up and she desperately grabbed for anything she could, eventually grabbing the horn that held her.

The triceratops barked and tried to shake Amanda off but every time it tossed its head to the left, it roared in pain. The loud calls of the triceratops made her head hurt and Amanda almost let go of the horn to cover her ears. She began to get dizzy and felt as if she would puke any moment as she flew through the air, holding desperately onto the horn. The triceratops started to run, shaking its head more violently as progressed into the field.

Silver Claw watched in horror as the triceratops twisted its head low to the ground and snapped it up along its left shoulder, sending Amanda into the air. Amanda landed a few meters from the right side of the triceratops. One last roar escaped the creature's mouth and it collapsed on the side Amanda had fallen.

"No," Silver Claw said and rushed forward. This is my fault, Silver Claw thought. All I wanted was to see her happy and now she could be dead. Silver Claw whimpered as he continued running. Why did she go after something that dangerous, was it something I said, was she trying to prove something?

"Amanda's going to be alright Silver Claw," Sunayana said.

Silver Claw looked away and whimpered. He quickened his pace to the point that the pain it caused was overwhelming. He pushed past a large fern and suddenly felt himself thrown over a log and to the ground. He heard a creak and his chest burst in pain but Silver Claw quickly stood back up and continued running.

As Silver Claw reached the bottom of the hill and started out onto the plain. In the distance, he could see the shape of another creature running through the tall grass towards the triceratops. He moved out into the tall grass, as did the rest of the pack but they fanned out.

Silver Claw quickened his pace and soon reached the triceratops. He jumped on top of the dead triceratops and before he could see what it was, he pounce onto the animal he seen running through the grass. Silver Claw let out a terrific screech and sunk his teeth into the creatures neck and was about to use his killing claw when he realized it was Loki.

"Get off me Silver Claw!" Loki roared as blood trickled down his neck.

Silver Claw released Loki and spun around to see Amanda lying in the grass, not moving. Her face was pale and her eyes closed. Her lips tinted a dark blue and several lines of blood streaked her face. A large dark spot on her shirt turned the surrounding grasses red with blood when the wind blew the blades up against her side.

Silver Claw slowly walked up to her. He gently nudged her cheek but she did not respond. He moved his head down to her side and found a tear in her shirt. Silver Claw slowly pushed the opening with his claws to find a large gash down her side, bleeding. Silver Claw sank to the ground and whimpered. The pain in his chest was insignificant to the amount his heart hurt. Silver Claw gently picked up her arm in his mouth and let go but it fell to the ground. He slowly moved next to her and nudged her arm onto his head. He closed his eyes and whimpered.

Around them, the pack had gathered and looked on, silent. In the distance, the low groan of a helicopter sounded over the island. Loki started to back away by the pack surrounded him. They hissed at Loki and he ducked his head.

"Amanda?" Silver Claw whimpered and licked her cheek. "I love you."

* * *

Author note: If I do not up date for a while, it is because I am on holidays and have little access to a computer. It might be for a few days or weeks, until then, another cliffhanger for you all to enjoy. 


	18. The Mainland

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 18: The Mainland

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author note: Please do not think for one moment that I will ever have a velociraptor and human "consummate" their love in my story, maybe as a raptor and raptor but no other way. Do not bring this topic up in a review again, please. I managed to get this last chapter typed out before I leave.

* * *

Amanda awoke. A constant beeping sounded not far from her head. Voices of people she could not recognize echoed around her and Amanda slowly opened her eyes. Above her, a smooth white ceiling with rails holding a curtain stood in place of the blue sky she last saw. She slowly looked over to her left to see she was in a hospital bed next to a large window overlooking the ocean.

Amanda continued to stare out the window, trying to remember how she ended up here and where here was. The last thing she remembered was hitting the ground and seeing the triceratops collapse next to her then waking up here. Amanda moaned.

Several tears ran down her cheek and she slowly sat up.

"Señor, she is awake." A deep voice called out.

Amanda looked to her right to see a darker skinned man, presumably a doctor, walk up to her. He was dressed in a white coat with a metal nametag over his left chest and a clipboard in his hand. He stopped next to her bed and looked at the monitor next to the bed then to her.

"My name is Diego," the man said in raspy voice and cleared his throat. "You are in a hospital in Costa Rica right now.

"How'd I get here?" Amanda asked in raptor.

"Can you speak English," Diego said with a raised voice.

"Yes," Amanda moaned. "How did I get here?"

"Señor Gomez found you on one of the Las Cinco Muertes," Diego said and pointed to a man standing in the window, holding a cap in front of his chest. "You're lucky he found you when he did, you were wounded severely and if not for him you could be dead right now."

"How long ago was that?" Amanda moaned and touched side, yelping in pain the instant she touched it.

"Careful, it was a very large wound that I had to do surgery on," Diego said. "He found you almost… a week a go if I remember correctly. You have been slipping in and out of consciousness for the last few days. Also, you were also screaming in growls and chirps."

"Oh yeah," Amanda said, unconcerned. She was more concerned about how Silver Claw was dealing with her not around for that long.

"Pardon my language but, you scared the shit out of us the first time you growled and chirped. We had to move all other patients out of this room even because you were scaring them." Diego said with a slight laugh. "If you want, Señor Gomez would like to talk with you."

"Yeah sure," Amanda moaned. Maybe he could get her back to Isla Sorna.

Diego walked out of the room and said something to the man holding his hat. Soon he walked into the room and pulled up a chair next to Amanda.

"How are you?" He asked in a soft voice.

"I've been better." Amanda sighed and looked at him.

He was dressed in a dark green vest with crimson under shirt and blue jeans. His face had a scraggly trimmed beard. Brown eyes sat under a heavy brow, hidden under long dark grey hair.

"How did you end up on that island?" Gomez asked.

"The ship my family was on sank off shore, I was one of two survivors out of about thirty," Amanda said and started crying.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Who were they? That is if you don't mind telling me."

"My friends and family," Amanda cried. "Where did you find me?"

"I found you next to two beasts," he said, "One dead and the other alive."

"What did you do to the living one?" Amanda said. She instantly stopped crying, praying he did not shoot Silver Claw.

"I fired several shots into the air but it stayed next to you," Gomez said. "It had your hand on its head."

"Did you kill him?" Amanda trembled.

"I pulled you out from under … him?" Gomez questioned.

"I know what that _it_ was," Amanda said with increasing anxiety. "Did you kill him?"

"No, though I think I should have, it looked to be in a lot of pain," Gomez replied. "The thing was whimpering and shaking."

"Oh my god he's hurt." Amanda cried. "You have to take me back there."

"I'm sorry but I can not do that," Gomez said and put his cap back on. "It be best if were off for now."

"Please," Amanda pleaded. "I have to get back there."

Gomez tipped his hat and walked away. He walked out the door and down one of several halls. Diego walked back in the room.

"I'm afraid I forgot to ask your name." He said politely.

"It's Amanda," she replied and put her head back on the pillow, sobbing and looking at her arm. "What are all these needles for?"

"You had a bacterial infection," Diego said as he wrote her name on the clipboard. "We don't know what caused it. What have you been eating?"

"Raw meat and old candy bars," Amanda sobbed.

Diego gave her and awkward stare, "Raw meat?"

"I don't know how to start a fire."

"Well that's probably the cause of it," Diego sighed. "You should be well enough to move about today but I wouldn't recommend it."

"Maybe I will go for a walk." Amanda said, wiped away her tears, and slowly slipped out of the bed. Amanda staggered slightly but managed to stay up. "Can I have these things out of my arm?"

"Not just yet," he replied, ready to catch her if she fell. "After this drip is done, then I will remove it them."

"How long will that take?"

"Another two hours or so," Diego replied.

"Can I be left alone for a bit," Amanda asked.

"Sure, just push that button if you need anything." Diego said. "Is their any family I could contact?"

"No," Amanda said and started to cry again. "They all died."

"I'm sorry," he said and closed the blinds on his way out. Diego closed the door behind him as he left.

Amanda walked over to the window and looked at the horizon. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Where are you Silver Claw?"

* * *

Back on Isla Sorna, Silver Claw lay curled up in his nest, whimpering. The pack looked on.

"How long has he been like this?" Arthur asked.

"Since Amanda was taken by that man," Blaze replied.

"Has he eaten?" Sunayana asked.

"Once, and that was yesterday." Fang answered.

"What about his broken ribs?" Sunayana asked.

"If he stays put, they should heal in a few weeks but not if he doesn't eat." Fang said. "I have to say though, I have never seen a raptor take a fall like that and get up like he did."

"Yeah I know. It's going to be dark soon," Jack interrupted. "It would be best if you all get some sleep."

"I'll talk with Silver Claw," Sara said. "He could use some female reassurance right now." She slowly walked over to Silver Claw's nest and set down in front of it. "Hello Silver Claw," Sara said softly.

Silver Claw looked up briefly then tucked his head under the clothing at the bottom of the nest. The nest still smelled of Amanda, which made Silver Claw feel worse. He whimpered and pulled his head out and closed his eyes.

"Silver Claw, please talk to me." Sara said softly. "The pack is worried about you."

"I know," Silver Claw only said in reply and turned around.

"Silver Claw," Sara said, trying to ease his pain.

Silver Claw curled his tail by head and ignored her. Finally, Sara gave up and returned to her nest. Occasionally she or another member would try to talk to him but to no avail.

An hour pasted and soon, darkness covered the island. The air was cold and the jungle silent. Silver Claw waited until the pack was asleep. He staggered to his feet and grabbed the blue stone along with a shirt in his mouth. He quietly moved pass the nests until he reached the edge of the area. Silver Claw looked back and sighed.

"Goodbye."

* * *

Amanda slowly awoke and sat up. She rubbed her arms where the needles were the day before.

"Good morning Amanda," the night nurse, Tania, said in a soft sweet tone. "How are you this morning?"

"Fine, I think I'll go for a walk today." Amanda replied.

"I think you should have your breakfast first." Tania said and placed a tray of fruit and juice on the table next the bed. "It's grape juice this morning."

"Thank you." Amanda sighed and rubbed her side where a large six-inch line of stitches ran along. "What are some good places to see around the hospital?"

"I don't think you should go outside that far," Tania sighed.

"I'm going to explore the town a little, whether Diego says I can or not." Amanda said and picked up a piece of fruit.

"You're a determined little one, I'll give ya that." Tania sighed. "If you want, after my shift I can take you to see the town. I'm sure it would be better for someone to accompany you."

"That would be nice," Amanda said and drank some of her juice. "How long will that be?"

"Oh ten minutes." Tania smiled. "Can you wait that long?"

"Yeah I guess so." Amanda sighed.

Amanda sat facing the window. Down the coast from the hospital were the docks and a large number of fishing boats. Finally, after twenty minutes, Tania came and got her. Amanda looked to the door to see Tania holding a jacket in one hand and a bundle of cloths in the other.

"Your old cloths were in pretty rough shape," Tania said. "And these don't fit my daughter anymore so I thought you might like them because I didn't think you wanted to walk around the town in that medical gown."

"Thank you Tania," Amanda said with a smile. Amanda walked over to Tania and took the clothing, a baggy grey shirt and jeans. She closed the curtain and quickly slipped out of the gown and into the cloths. Amanda folded the gown and placed it on her bed. She stepped out from behind the curtain.

"You look great Amanda," Tania smiled. "Ready?"

"Did you tell Diego?" Amanda asked.

"Yes, and he said it was fine as long as I didn't loose you." Tania replied and gestured with her hands to the door. "Shall we?"

Amanda walked out the door and started down a hall but Tania stopped her.

"It's this way," Tania said and pointed to the large doors down the opposite hall.

"Oh…." Amanda said and turned around.

Soon they stepped out of the building and into the morning light. The passed under the shadows of several trees as the two made their way towards the sea. The walk was down hill and easy going for Amanda, though it was not as much legs that hurt as her side. A breeze blew off the sea, carrying the salty air with it.

Amanda breathed in heavily. She felt better breathing in fresh air rather than the stale hospital air. However, her thoughts wandered back to Silver Claw and how he must feel without her. Amanda sighed and looked to the sky. Within a few minutes, they reached the beach and turned down the boardwalk.

"What do you think about this place so far?" Tania asked.

"It's beautiful," Amanda replied. "I was wondering if you know anyone who could get me to that island I told you about."

"Again with this island," Tania sighed. "Most of the fisherman a scared of those five islands and I don't think I could convince any of them to do otherwise."

"Well thank you anyway," Amanda sighed. "Could we go to the docks?"

"You are still going to ask around anyway."

"Yeah," Amanda said and looked to her. "I am happy that you are helping me. I'm actually really thankful but that island is my home and I just want to go back."

"Alright, do you think you can make it to the docks and back?" Tania asked.

"Yes," Amanda answered. "I've been through a lot worse."

As they approached the docks, the smell of fish filled the air and Amanda tried to wave it away. Gulls fought amongst each other for scraps of fish and crab. Large groups of fisherman walked about the area.

"Not use to the smell of fish," Tania laughed. "You'll get used to it."

"I hope so," Amanda said as she continued to wave the smell. "It's terrible."

They soon reached the docks and started asking around. The men they asked either laughed at them or ignored them completely. An hour passed with out any success and Tania began to get tired.

"I think it would be best if I got you back to the hospital Amanda." Tania yawned before continuing. "I have to work again tonight."

"Alright," Amanda said and looked down. She slowly walked along the docks towards the hospital when she overheard something.

"I'll pay you five hundred dollars to take me to Isla Sorna," a female voice said.

Amanda turned to see a red-haired woman with a tan shirt and backpack. This woman continued to offer large amounts of money to the man but he still refused. Finally, she gave up and started to wonder off to another sailor.

Amanda quickly took this chance to walk up and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hello, I couldn't help but overhear you want to go to Isla Sorna."

"Do you know someone who could get me there?" The woman asked.

"No, but that is where I'm trying to get as well." Amanda said. "My name's Amanda by the way."

"Sarah Harding," she replied. "Why are you trying to get there?"

"Harding… you wouldn't be related to a Doctor Harding that works for Ingen would you?" Amanda asked.

"Maybe…. Why?" Sarah asked.

"I met him a few weeks ago on the island," Amanda said.

"Why do you want to go Isla Sorna?" Sarah asked once more.

"It's my home," Amanda said. "I'm only here because I was injured and someone found me."

"How were you injured?" Sarah questioned.

Amanda moved so only her and Sarah could hear, "Triceratops."

"Where are you staying?"

"At the hospital," Amanda replied. "If you want, you could come and stay there for a bit so we could talk."

"I'd like that," Sarah said. "I have a few questions for you."

"I'll walk you back," Tania said. "Then I'll be off."

"Alright," Amanda said.

Before long, Amanda and Sarah were back in Amanda's room. Amanda sat on the edge of the bed while Sarah closed the door and pulled up a chair. Amanda was about to say something but a nurse walked in a placed a tray of fruit and juice on the table. Soon the nurse walked out and closed the door.

"So Amanda, what do you know about Isla Sorna?" Sarah asked.

"I know it is inhabited by over twenty different kinds of dinosaurs," Amanda replied. "I particularly know about one type of raptor."

"Is that it?" Sarah questioned.

"No," Amanda said. "There is a lot more but I don't think you would believe me."

"Try me."

"I have lived on that island for about three months," Amanda said but before she could continue, Sarah started to talk.

"How could anyone live on that island for that long?"

"I was about to tell you," Amanda sighed. "I found a building and I hid there because my family was killed when the spinosaurus attacked our boat." Amanda took in a deep breath. "I was found by a male velociraptor."

"Ok, tell me the truth." Sarah said and crossed her legs.

"I am. His name is Silver Claw." Amanda replied. "He must be devastated right now."

"Why?"

"Don't laugh please." Amanda said and when Sarah nodded, she continued. "He asked me to be his mate about a month or so ago."

"That is a little disturbing," Sarah replied. "Please don't say you said yes."

"I did, he is my mate and he probably thinks I'm dead right now." Amanda said and several tears rolled down her cheek. "I miss him."

"Wait a minute, you can understand him?" Sarah questioned and leaned forward.

Amanda nodded and wiped away her tears. "He taught me words I asked him."

"So every noise he makes, you can understand it?"

"Just as easily as I can understand English, I also speak it too." Amanda said. "Would you like me to say some?"

"Sure, let's hear it," Sarah sighed and leaned back.

Amanda made several chirps and growls, frightening Sarah slightly.

"Ok…." Sarah could only say. "So…. hypothetically, if I did bring you with me and we did run into some raptor, you could talk to them and maybe convince them not to kill us."

"Maybe," Amanda said.

"I've been wonder how you ended up here?" Sarah asked. "What exactly happened?"

"The leader of the pack I belong to, Jack, said that I could come hunting with them that day but I had to hunt by myself to show I was able to." Amanda said. "The pack sat on a hill while I went to prove if I could. I found an adult triceratops sleeping so I walked up to it. It woke up and looked the other way so I stabbed two knifes into its neck. I didn't kill it." Amanda sighed. "It hooked my cloths on one horn so I grabbed on but it eventually it shook me off, dying anyway."

Sarah shook her head, not knowing whether to believe it or not. "What happened after?"

"I woke up here." Amanda sighed. "And I'm going to have one nasty scar too."

"What?" Sarah questioned and Amanda lifted up the side of her shirt, revealing the scar.

"So are you going to take me with you to Isla Sorna?" Amanda asked.

"I have a feeling you wouldn't go away if I said no, so yes I will." Sarah sighed, "What were all the drips for?"

"I had a bacterial infection, it's gone now." Amanda answered. "The doctor said it was because I was eating raw meat."

Sarah's eyes widened, "For how long?"

"Almost since the day I was found by the raptor." Amanda said. "I did have some fruit and old candy bars but mostly I had meat."

"You should have died from the bacteria after this long," Sarah said in disbelief. "Don't you know how to start a fire?"

"I came from a very rich family," Amanda said. "I had no reason to know how. The stove we found didn't work either so I didn't have a choice."

"Who's paying for your stay in the hospital?" Sarah asked.

Amanda got a puzzled expression on her face. She reached for the button and pressed it. Within a few minutes, Diego walked in with a chart.

"Hello Amanda," he said. "Did you want something?"

"Who's paying for me to be here?" Amanda asked.

"Gomez said he would if you didn't have anyone to contact." Diego said.

"How much is it?" Amanda asked, worried.

"Three thousand dollars so far," Diego said. "If you stay the night again, that will be another hundred."

"Oh my god," Amanda said.

"Don't worry about it," Diego said. "Gomez doesn't have to pay a thing."

"Who is paying then?" Amanda questioned.

"Your father," Diego said. "I ran your DNA through the computer to find out if you had anyone related to you didn't know about."

"My father's alive…." Amanda said and her lip started to tremble. "Where is he?"

"Outside," Diego said. "He just got here."

Amanda saw a man stop in front of the window to her room. He turned to her and rushed into the room.

"Amanda," he cried out and wrapped his arms around her.

Amanda winced in pain but wrapped her arms around her father. Amanda started to cry. "I thought you were dead dad."

"I thought you were." He cried and looked to Diego. "When can I take her home?"

Amanda's eyes widened. She had her dad to go back to their home but what about Silver Claw. If she went home, she could live her old life with her own room, her pets, and her father. However, there was Silver Claw, she loved him and he loved her. If she left with her father, she could never see Silver Claw again.

What if she could bring him with her… no, he would find himself in a cage or worse. He was her family now but so was her father. Amanda winced in pain. Sarah started to walk towards the door. She had to choose and fast.

Amanda's lip trembled, "No."

He father pulled away and Sarah stopped walking to look back. "What do you mean no?" He father asked.

"I'm not going home with you," Amanda cried. "I'm going back to Isla Sorna."

"No you are not going back to that hellhole of an island." He father blurted.

"Yes I am. I have friends there." Amanda said, "And a family."

"I'm your family," He father said in a more clam voice. "Unless your mother survived and is there."

Amanda burst into tears. "That creature grabbed her in font of me and she died in my hands."

"Oh my god," he said and pulled Amanda tight. "Why would you want to go back to such a place then?"

"I have a… husband there and he could be hurt." Amanda cried. Her father immediately released her, his face turned red.

"You have a husband," He father stuttered and with an angry voice. "How could you get married? Who is this bastard, I'll kill him."

"He's younger than me dad!" Amanda said and turned away. "I'm going back and that's final." Tears rolled down her cheeks and in a soft voice she said, "I love him." Amanda slowly stood up and to walk out the door but her father cut her off.

"I am suing the company that owns that island and I am trying to have it destroyed." He father said. "And I will not have my daughter there when it is."

"No!" Amanda screamed, though she made sure it was in raptor. It bought her enough time to get out of the room and out the front doors. Amanda made her way down towards the beach when she suddenly felt someone grab her arm.

"You don't plan to swim there do you?" Sarah asked and shifted her backpack.

"So you're going to help me?" Amanda said.

"Yes, I can't have that island destroy when Ingen is paying me to do a project." Sarah said. "Let's get going before your father catches up with us."

Amanda and Sarah ran down the boardwalk. As they finally reached the docks, Amanda's father reached the bottom of the hill and started down the boardwalk. Amanda and Sarah quickly rushed into a crowd of people and saw that a boat was about to launch. Sarah ran ahead and stopped the elderly captain.

"Can you take us to Isla Sorna?" Sarah asked. "It's urgent that I get there today."

"I was heading that way," he said and ran his fingers through his grey beard. "The trip isn't free though."

"How's five hundred dollars." Sarah asked.

"Welcome aboard miss," he said. "The name's James by the way."

"Thank you," Sarah said and turned to Amanda, "Hurry Amanda."

Amanda quickly jumped in with Sarah and the boat started to move. Sarah and Amanda sat along the port side of the boat. They reached the end of the docks and Amanda turned to look back at the docks, just to see her father stop at the end. Tears filled her eyes and Amanda started to cry.

"It took a lot of courage to do what you did," Sarah said and rubbed her shoulder. "Your friend must really be special. I hope I can meet him."

"If he wants to you can," Amanda said and brushed away her tears.

"How long until we get there James." Sarah asked and looked to her watch to see it was noon.

"Oh… a good four hours if the sea stays calm," He said and adjusted the wheel to clear the boat traffic. "Next stop Isla Sorna."

* * *

Silver Claw walked through the jungle, the stone in his mouth and the shirt in his claws. He had walked all night and the sun was just being to rise. He passed the old road a few hours back but continued through the jungle. Suddenly, he walked from the jungle and found himself on another road. He sighed and turned down the road. His body was too sore to continue walking through the jungle and this road was relatively smooth.

An hour passed as he walked down the jungle road, the faint buzz of insects called out from the surrounding jungle. In the distance he could hear the low calls of numerous creatures, so many that he could not tell how many types there were. Several more hours passed until the jungle thinned until he stood at the edge of a massive field.

Hundreds of herbivores covered the field. Silver Claw could barely see the far side of the field because of its distance from him. A pack would never starve if they hunted here, Silver Claw thought and continued down the road at the field's edge. Silver Claw looked to the sky to see the noon sun. Amanda, he thought and closed his eyes.

* * *

"So," Amanda started. "Why are you going to Isla Sorna?"

"I was asked by John Hammond to record the life on Isla Sorna," Sarah replied. "He wants me to document the different animals and find out how they're still alive."

"How they're still alive?" Amanda questioned.

"To stop the dinosaurs from getting off the island alive, the scientists put in a gene that makes them unable to make lysine. That's what John told me." Sarah said. "They should have died out long ago because of it but they're still alive."

"Well it's a good thing they didn't." Amanda sighed. 'What do you do as a normal job?"

"I study African predators," Sarah replied. "I also work a bit as a vet."

"That's cool," Amanda said.

"Yeah," Sarah said in a soft tone. "You have to let me meet your friend."

"Yeah, I think he would like to thank you for getting me back to him." Amanda said and started to laugh. "I'm going to need something to wipe the saliva off my face when he does see me."

"Why?" Sarah asked. "Is he going to be that happy?"

"Not just that. Raptor mates greet each other by licking their partners face." Amanda said, blushing red. "He has about a week to make up for."

"I feel sorry for you," Sarah said with a slight laugh.

"Why?"

"Because you're going to have to make it up to him as well," Sarah joked.

"I only kiss him," Amanda sighed and looked down. "I'm never going to get out of his sight again."

Sarah laughed slightly and moved with Amanda to the bow of the boat, looking at the horizon. Hours passed as they continued to talk about their lives and experiences. Before long, the dark outline of five island appeared in the distance. Another hour passed before the actual shape of each island was distinguishable from one another.

"I'm sorry but my memory isn't what it used to be. Which one was it you wanted to get to?" James shouted from the wheel.

"Isla Sorna," Amanda replied and pointed to the largest and center island.

For an hour, they watched the island grow large, from a silhouette to reveal the dense jungle and rocky coastline. To the south a massive rock protruded from the waters next to the island, dead trees covered it. They reached a protruded piece of land, though they could only see the large cliff face reaching at least a hundred meters into the air. Massive swells crashed against the rock in an almost rhythmical manner. Amanda looked down to the clear waters below. Dozens of hammerhead sharks swam in the waters just below the boat.

"Where would you like to be dropped off ladies?" James said as he slowed the boat.

"I have a spot already pick out." Sarah replied and pulled out a map. She unfolded it and dragged her finger along it. "Here it is." She showed it to James and he looked to his compass.

"That spot," James mumbled to himself and turned the boat northward. "It'll be a few moments before we can see it, it be best if you got ready."

"Do you have any large knives I could have?" Amanda asked, having nothing else to do.

"What would you need them for?" James asked and then coughed.

"To protect myself with," Amanda replied. "You've heard stories about this place."

"Yeah, I guess you could use some. Below deck in the kitchen, there is a large wooden box." James sighed. "Grab whichever you see fit."

"Thank you," Amanda said and opened the door to the stairs. In a few minutes, she returned with two large steak knives in a sheath. "These will do. How much did these cost you?"

"Nothing, I found them a few weeks ago," James said. "They were adrift at sea near here."

"Oh," Amanda said and looked to the bow. "Is that were you wanted to go inland?"

Sarah turned and looked to the area. Large rocks ran along ocean as a wall between the jungle and sea. A single area opened up to a river. The dense jungle obscured anything that could be hiding nearby.

"How close can you get?" Sarah asked.

"Not to much closer," James sighed as he looked over the edge of the boat. "There are some large rocks under the surface." James moved the boat as close as he could without endangering it and turned off the engine. "That's it."

"Looks like we're going to get a little wet," Amanda said.

"Yeah, I guess so." Sarah said and took off her pack. She swung it back and forth a few times before tossing it to shore. She looked around for a brief second and jumped off the edge of the boat and into the water.

"Thank you James," Amanda said and tucked the knives into the back of her pants. "Bye." Amanda said and jumped into the water. Amanda swam toward shore. The icy water stung but she could handle it. The water was unusually calm compared to the massive swells that she seen down the coast. As she reached shore, James started the engine on his boat and slowly steered away.

"Here," Sarah said. "Let me help you up." Amanda looked up to see Sarah holding out her hand.

Amanda grabbed her hand and soon was out of the water. "Thank you," Amanda sighed.

"No problem," Sarah said as she slipped her backpack on. "Where's your home?"

"Can I see that map?" Amanda asked. Sarah pulled the map out of her bag and handed it to Amanda. She opened it. "Here it is."

"That's on the other side of the island," Sarah said.

"Oh…" Amanda sighed. "That's at least a four day walk."

Suddenly a deep roar sounded from the jungle, though not as loud as that of the spinosaurus or rex. Amanda started running, soon followed by Sarah. They ran through the dense jungle and suddenly Sarah screamed. Amanda turned around to see a Sarah on the ground with a herrerasaurus on top of her. She watched as the herrerasaurus sank its teeth into Sarah's bag…


	19. Old Friends, Old Enemies

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 19: Old Friends, Old Enemies

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author Note: Please review.

* * *

Amanda stood, frozen at the sight of the herrerasaurus. The creature's neck muscles ripped as it shook its head, trying to rip the pack. The light brown hide and emerald eyes glinted in the little light reaching it. Sarah screamed again. Amanda shook her head and pulled out the two knives, hissing in raptor. 

The herrerasaurus released the bag and slowly looked up at Amanda. It hissed at her and lowered its head, baring its teeth long teeth. Amanda hissed back, pointing the knives at the raptor sized creature. The herrerasaurus stepped off Sarah and started to circle Amanda.

Sarah scurried away and looked to see Amanda still facing off with the dinosaur. "What are you doing?" She asked. "Run."

Amanda's heart throbbed. Her focus was on the short maw of the herrerasaur. Silver Claw taught her some things about defending herself against another dinosaur but she never thought she would have to that much. "If we run, it will just catch us again," Amanda managed to say. Amanda continued to step to the side, circling with the herrerasaur.

The creature snapped at her, though it kept far enough from the knives not to be injured. Sarah stepped behind a tree as the dinosaur stepped towards the area. It passed by the tree, unconcerned with Sarah but fixated on Amanda. Suddenly Amanda tripped on a branch and fell to the ground. The herrerasaur lunged.

With a single slash, Amanda cut across the snout of the herrerasaur. It roared in pain but snapped at her, grabbing the blade and pulling it from her hands. Amanda switched the other knife from her right hand to her left and slashed at the throat before it could react. Blood spilled over Amanda and the herrerasaur collapsed to the ground, twitching violently. Amanda slowly stood up and shook the blood off her hands.

"It's safe Sarah," Amanda sighed.

"How many things have you killed on this island?" Sarah asked. She was surprised at how Amanda handled herself afterwards.

"This makes four," She sighed. "I've killed two gallimimus, an adult triceratops and this herrerasaurus."

"Wow, I'm surprised it doesn't seem to affect you at all." Sarah said.

"I know," Amanda said and looked down. "I am used to watching Silver Claw kill compsognathus but it worries me that I don't feel anything anymore."

"Why," Sarah asked as she slipped off her pack and examined a large hole in it.

"I think I'm loosing what makes me human," Amanda sighed. "I can kill something and not feel bad about it."

"You shouldn't worry about it unless you're killing for the fun of it." Sarah said and put her finger through a hole in the bag. "That thing ripped a hole in my good pack."

"I guess it's lucky that you had it," Amanda said.

"Yeah,' Sarah sighed. "It's now my lucky pack I guess."

Amanda could not help but chuckle at this. "Yeah, try not to get any of the dinosaur's blood in your system."

"I won't," Sarah said but had to ask, "Why?"

"There is a disease called DX, it's in all the dinosaurs here and it can be transmitted to humans." Amanda replied and looked down. "It shortens your life span and affects dinosaur eggs."

"Oh… I'm sorry." Sarah said.

"It's ok. Ingen is making the cure again so Silver Claw and I won't have to die because of it." Amanda said and knelt by the body of the herrerasaur and cut off a chunk of meat. Amanda stood up and bit into it. She looked to see Sarah turn pale. When Amanda finished it she said, "Raw isn't that bad, it tastes really good in fact."

"I do how to start a fire," Sarah said and shouldered her bag. "You could have cooked it if you wanted.

"Na," Amanda sighed. "It's already warm and tastes good either way."

Sarah shook her head. "If you want a bacteria infection again, go ahead."

"You can show me how to start a fire later," Amanda said. "We should leave before something comes to investigate the blood."

"Yeah I know," Sarah said. "What about the blood on you?"

"What about it?" Amanda stated.

"It'll attract the carnivores," Sarah replied.

"Yeah, maybe I should wash it off."

"Yeah you might," Sarah said. "I think that stream or river is over here."

Amanda grabbed and sheathed both knives. Both Amanda and Sarah quickly walked through the jungle and soon found the stream. Amanda looked around, placed the knives on some rocks and stepped in. The water was not as cold as the ocean but close. Amanda soon found herself waist deep in the water and she slowly lowered herself up to her neck.

"Would you like some shampoo?" Sarah asked. "It's scentless so it won't attract anything."

"This is the first real bath I've had in months," Amanda said and held out her hand. "Toss it here."

Sarah pulled out a bottle from her bag and tossed it to Amanda. Amanda quickly put some in her hair and tossed the bottle back to Sarah. Amanda scrubbed the soap into her hair and ducked her head under. She repeated this several times and soon she was clean. Amanda slowly walked out of the water, shivering slightly.

"Cold," Sarah joked.

"Shut up," Amanda sighed as she grabbed the knives. "We should fine a place to stay until our cloths are dry."

"Let's look for a sheltered area." Sarah said softly. "I can start a fire for us."

"Ok, you can show me how well you're at it." Amanda sighed heavily. "Though Silver Claw does keep me warm enough at night."

"You sleep with him?" Sarah questioned.

"We share a nest," Amanda replied. "I don't need blankets as long as I have him."

"Oh," Sarah said and did not ask anything else about the topic. "Well, let's go."

Sarah headed along the streams edge, followed by Amanda. They passed though the dense jungle that surrounded the stream, which was becoming shallower. The stream continued to shrink to until it was only a few meters across and only reached up to Amanda's ankles. Soon they began to go uphill and Amanda rubbed her still tender side.

"Do you have any pain killers on you?" Amanda asked. "My side is hurting a lot and I don't think the water helped it at all."

"Yeah," Sarah said and pulled a small bottle of medication from her bag. "How old are you anyway?"

"Oh, I'm sixteen," Amanda replied and took the bottle, unscrewing the cap. She grabbed one of the pills and put the cap on.

"Wow," Sarah said, shocked. "You're pretty young to be on your own."

"I'm not alone, I have Silver Claw," Amanda said and swallowed the small pill, giving the bottle to Sarah. "I just hope he's alright."

"Oh yeah," Sarah said in a questionable tone.

"You don't believe me entirely, do you?" Amanda questioned.

"Well it is a little hard to believe you live with raptors, one being your husband." Sarah admitted. "I'm not sure I believe you still."

"I find myself asking how this could be real," Amanda said. "I am happy you brought me though."

"I am too." Sarah sighed. "I would be dead if not for you."

"I am really hoping we run into a raptor," Amanda admitted. "Even if it isn't friendly as long as were safe."

"Why?"

"So I can prove to you that I am telling the truth," Amanda replied.

"Shhh…" Sarah said, listening to something.

"What is it?" Amanda whispered.

"I thought I heard something," Sarah answered, looking around.

Suddenly a deep rumble came from up ahead and a large green-skinned stegosaurus stepped out of the jungle. Sarah reached into her pack and pulled out a camera. She began taking pictures as another stegosaur stepped into view, followed closely by an infant. Before long, a third and final adult stepped out. The small group stopped briefly to stare at Amanda and Sarah before they continued into the jungle.

Sarah looked at Amanda. "I'm going to follow those for a while."

"But I thought you wanted to see the raptors." Amanda said.

"I have friends coming in a few days, we can go then." Sarah said.

"Uh… friends," Amanda said, worried. "I don't know if that would be good."

"They're bringing some vehicles with them," Sarah said.

"What kind of vehicles?" Amanda questioned.

"Two cars and a mobile research center," Sarah replied and ran ahead to the gap where the stegosaurs passed through. She took more pictures.

"I don't think it would be a good idea to show you the raptors then," Amanda sighed as she followed Sarah. "They don't trust me completely but more humans and vehicles might make it worse."

"Why don't they trust you?" Sarah asked and followed the trampled path left by the stegosaurs.

"I am human," Amanda said. "Several of the packs members are the original raptors that Ingen created."

"Oh," Sarah said, unconcerned. "Oh well I guess."

Amanda looked down but continued walking, stepping over branches as she went. "So you're going to stay with this group?"

"For a bit, I want to see if they have a nest, what they eat, and their behavior." Sarah said excitedly and jumped over a fallen tree. "Yeah, I'm defiantly following these for a few days at least."

"Well I guess I should be off then." Amanda sighed. "I have to find my mate."

"Here," Sarah said and pulled a walkie-talkie out of her bag. "In case you need help."

Amanda grabbed it and put it away in her pocket. "Thanks I guess." Amanda slowly started to walk away. "Goodbye Sarah." She looked back to see Sarah was already to far away to have heard her.

* * *

Silver Claw raced down the road along the field's edge. Behind him, a large adult pachycephalosaurus chased. Silver Claw ran off the road and towards the jungle to the south. The pachycephalosaurus barked and followed him. Before long, Silver Claw emerged into the dense jungle and passed between several large trees. 

Silver Claw turned around one of the large tree, dropped the stone and shirt into a leaf pile and readied his claws. The pachycephalosaurus smashed through several braches and passed in front of Silver Claw. He attacked. Silver Claw jumped on the side of the pachycephalosaurus and dug his claws deep into the thick green hide of the dinosaur.

The pachycephalosaurus yelped in pain and tried to shake Silver Claw off. The animal raised its neck and called out for help but none would come. Silver Claw sank his teeth into the neck of the pachycephalosaurus and squeezed. Soon the breath of the dinosaur came in raspy gasps and it fell to the ground, though Silver Claw did not let go, even after it died. Silver Claw continued to squeeze and suddenly snapped his head viciously, ripping a large chunk out of the throat. The blood rolled down his jaws and flowed in streams to the ground.

Anger filled Silver Claw as he ripped into the carcass again, anger that he could not protect Amanda, anger that a human took her from him, anger that he could not say anything to her before she was gone, and anger at humans. Silver Claw roared and kicked the carcass, slashing it with his claws to relieve his anger. Silver Claw ripped at the carcass but suddenly dropped to the ground in pain.

Silver Claw whimpered and closed his eyes. His chest burned and he felt sick. He had broken at least two ribs and now the pain finally caught up to him. Silver Claw forced himself to stand up. He finished his meal and walked to the leaf pile with the stone. He grabbed the stone and shirt then continued south.

Two hours passed as Silver Claw walked through the jungle and soon he found himself atop a cliff overlooking another field though not as big as the one the pachycephalosaurus chased him from and to the jungle. Further to the south, the cliff sloped down and a large group of trees surrounded a building complex. In the tall grasses around the structure, Silver Claw could see a pack of velociraptors moving about. They were not like him in color or like the green ones. These were solid brown or an orange with black stripes.

Silver Claw sighed and looked down. Below him, a ledge stuck out from the cliff. White droppings covered the end of it. Silver Claw leaned forward to get a better view and could see that the ledge stuck out from an opening in the cliff face. He sighed and jumped down. The opening was actually a small cave. Inside, a sleeping winged animal, smaller that Silver Claw, covered a nest.

Silver Claw slowly placed the stone and shirt quietly on the ground and walked to the sleeping creature. With a single bite, he broke the animal's neck then he pushed the body out of the nest. Eight eggs filled the nest and Silver Claw rolled them next to the body of their parent. Silver Claw grabbed the shirt and stone and laid them in the crude nest before curling up in it. He had enough food to last him a week so he could stay put for some time. Silver Claw yawned and slowly went to sleep, hoping the anger would pass.

* * *

Amanda walked back to the stream and followed it into the island. She pulled out one of the knives incase anything did attack her. She shook slightly as her cloths cooled in the air. Amanda looked around and found a large tree she could climb. Amanda slowly made her way up the tree until she was sure she was high enough to stay out of the largest carnivores reach. 

Amanda slowly slid out on a large branch until she was in an area of sunlight. Amanda stretched out on the branch and sighed. For several hours, Amanda lay unmoved in the warmth of the light. Her cloths dried and she felt clean for once.

As dusk finally came to the island, Amanda slowly sat up and looked around. She could only see the dense jungle that surrounded her, the near dusk light limited her sight of the ground below. A low rumble suddenly sounded nearby and soon she could hear the heavy steps of an animal approaching. Amanda looked down and watched as the small herd of stegosaurs walked out of the jungle below her tree. As they passed into the jungle on the other side of the jungle, Sarah followed out from jungle and was halfway across the stream when Amanda got an idea.

As loud as she could, Amanda let out a raptor screech. Sarah nearly screamed and looked at the surrounding jungle, unsure of its source. Amanda laughed as she watched Sarah.

Amanda finally stopped laughing and sighed. "That was me Sarah," she shouted from the tree.

Sarah looked up. "I though you were going to find your home," Sarah yelled back.

"Come up here." Amanda yelled.

"Why?" Sarah asked.

"So we can talk without attracting unwanted attention," Amanda replied.

Sarah put her camera away and walked to the base of the tree. She slowly started to climb the tree, though had some difficulty because of the backpack. Amanda swung her legs off the side of the branch until Sarah finally made it up.

Sarah slid across the branch until she sat in front of Amanda. "What are you doing up here?" She asked.

"Drying my cloths," Amanda said. "This area was in the sun so I took a break from walking."

"Oh," Sarah said.

"You didn't make it to far from where I left you," Amanda stated.

"The stegosaurs stopped in a small glade not far from here and walked back this way." Sarah sighed. "I found out that they're eating a plant that has lysine."

"Oh yeah," Amanda sighed and looked down. "Are you staying here the night?"

"Na, I want to find the nest." Sarah said.

Amanda put her finger over her mouth and pointed down. In the bushes at the base of the tree, a herrerasaurus stepped out. It walked to the center of the stream and looked back. Another stepped out with three small infants and walked to the one at the center of the stream. They slowly scanned the surrounding jungle before lapping up water.

Sarah slowly reached into her bag and pulled out the camera. She took several pictures when the camera started making a loud noise. Amanda heart raced as she heard the low hiss of the herrerasaurus.

"Way to go Sarah," Amanda said when she saw the herrerasaurs looking at them. "Now we're stuck up here until morning probably."

Sarah ignored Amanda as she fumbled with the camera, finally stopping the noise. "It was done with the roll of film and rewound it."

"It doesn't matter now." Amanda sighed. "They will probably stick around all night now."

"Well I guess this is home for a bit," Sarah sighed. "I wonder if there is a good spot to sleep."

Amanda sighed and put her legs on both sides of the branch. She let one arm dangle while the other one she placed under her head as a pillow. "You can look."

Sarah frowned but climbed up into the tree. Several minutes later, Sarah returned to the branch with Amanda. "This tree is the worst spot to stay in."

"It's your fault," Amanda said. "You had to take pictures."

Sarah shook her head. "You chose the tree."

Amanda sighed and sat up. "Well if we're sharing this tree, we might as well change the conversation topic."

"What would you like to talk about?" Sarah asked.

"Well, you could tell me some plants that are healthy to eat." Amanda suggested.

"For that, I have to have the plant to show you." Sarah said.

"Ok, what about…. Ok, I have nothing." Amanda sighed.

"Me neither," Sarah said and opened her bag. "Are those herrerasaurs still down there?"

Amanda looked down. She could barely see the ground in the dark. "I can't tell."

"Well goodnight," Sarah said and pressed against the trunk and placed her bag in front of her.

Amanda yawned and crawled near Sarah. Amanda grabbed onto another large branch and leaned against the trunk. "Goodnight."

* * *

Silver Claw yawned and opened his eyes. Outside, darkness covered the area. Slowly he stood up and walked to the entrance. Silver Claw slowly laid his body on the cold stone of the ledge of the rock. The velociraptor pack was still active and moved about in the grass. Then he noticed one in particular. 

Is that….Tyrannous, Silver Claw hissed at the very thought. He watched as the velociraptor reared up slightly and looked around the grass. Silver Claw smirked as he got an idea. "Tyrannous!" Silver Claw shouted and ducked his head so no one could see him.

The green raptor froze and looked around franticly. The rest of the pack reared out of the grass and looked around. The pack divided and ran towards the jungle in search of the raptor that called out. Silver Claw chuckled slightly and watched the pack. He was in no condition to fight anything so he did not want to attract them any more while they were agitated.

When the raptor pack calmed down, Silver Claw shouted again, "I see you Tyrannous!"

"Show yourself." A male shouted but Silver Claw remained quiet.

Silver Claw watched as the pack separated again in search of Silver Claw, though two of the members walked towards where Silver Claw hid. Silver Claw ducked his head low enough that they probably could not see him but he worried about his scent. As they grew closer, Silver Claw could here that they were male and female. He recognized the male voice, Tyrannous.

Silver Claw held back the urge to jump of the rock and kill him. He tensed his muscles and sighed.

"Why did that voice say that you were Tyrannous?" The female asked in a somewhat familiar tone.

"I don't know," Tyrannous lied. "Maybe I look like this Tyrannous."

"Tyrannous was a traitor in my old pack," the female hissed. "Even I wish I had the chance to kill him."

My old pack, Silver Claw questioned. If he looked to see who it was, no he could not. Tyrannous was most likely in better health than he is and if he gave away his position the entire pack would trap him up here.

Suddenly flapping filled the air. Silver Claw looked to see a small pterosaur coming towards the area he was hiding in, probably the mate of the one he killed. It shrieked at him and swooped over his head. Silver Claw stood up and hissed as the creature turned around for another pass. He realized what he just did.

"There he his," Tyrannous hissed.

"Tyrannous you coward," Silver Claw hissed as he ducked another attempt by the pterosaur. "You didn't tell them your real name did you."

"Are you the traitor Tyrannous?" The female demanded, obviously having more authority over him.

"He lies," Tyrannous hissed.

"You killed my mother and father Tyrannous," Silver Claw hissed. "Do you enjoy the scar she put on your face before you pushed her off that cliff?"

Silver Claw grabbed onto the neck of the pterosaur and broke its delicate neck. Silver Claw tossed the body into the cavern and looked down. The female next to him was white in color.

"He seems sure that you are the traitor," the female hissed.

"You have me confused with another raptor," Tyrannous said calmly and grinned, "Come down here so we can talk about why you are in our territory."

"You'll attack me the moment I hopped down," Silver Claw said and winced in pain as his chest burst into pain.

Tyrannous grinned. "You're injured."

"Scar, go back and tell the alpha that we have the intruder." The female commanded.

"Don't let him escape," Tyrannous said as he reluctantly turned away. I want to kill him. Tyrannous rushed off into the grasses, towards the building complex.

"Now," the female hissed. "What is your name?"

"Why does it matter," Silver Claw said. "Your pack will probably kill me anyway."

"What do you have to loose?" The female said.

"I've lost my mate," Silver Claw snapped, "So nothing."

"Oh," the female said. "What is you name?"

Silver Claw sighed and stepped to the edge of the stone, looking down on her. "My name is Silver Claw."

"Silver Claw," the female stammered. "Is that really you?"

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Silver Claw questioned.

"Don't you recognize me?" The female asked in disbelief. "It's Sophia."

"Sophia," Silver Claw said. "You are alive!"

"Yes Silver Claw," she smiled. "I thought the spinosaurus got you."

"I thought it got you," Silver Claw said. "I tripped and fell under a log, it ran by me."

"So all this time, you've been alone?" Sophia said in a sweet tone.

"No," Silver Claw said. "I found my mate in the old building the when we were forced to leave because of Tyrannous, I found my mother's sister and father."

"So that is Tyrannous?" Sophia questioned. "Is it true you are injured?"

"Yes that is Tyrannous," Silver Claw sighed. "And I broke two ribs in a fall a few days ago."

"Who was your mate?" Sophia asked softly, "If you don't mind telling me."

Before Silver Claw could answer, Tyrannous returned with the majority of the pack. "There is the intruder."

"I know him," Sophia said. "His is my old friend Silver Claw."

"Do you want to know what he has been protecting for a long time now," Tyrannous hissed demonically.

"His mate," Sophia replied, "Tyrannous."

"No, two humans," Tyrannous hissed. "Silver Claw, don't say you became mates with one of them."

"Is this true?" Sophia questioned, "Did you find a human in that building."

"Yes," Silver Claw said. "I found Amanda and Ellie, two female humans."

The entire pack hissed at him but did not move because he was out of reach.

"How are they?" Tyrannous asked sadistically.

"Ellie went home and Amanda…" Silver Claw trembled with anger. "She died after killing an adult triceratops."

"That scrawny little thing couldn't kill an adult triceratops." Tyrannous hissed.

"She shot you didn't she," Silver Claw said and smiled.

"So you did resort to living with humans," Sophia said and Silver Claw nodded.

"They were different that the humans in the stories that the elders told us." Silver Claw said. "Amanda was beautiful and funny, my love. Ellie was…"

"Your love," Tyrannous interrupted. "You did become mates with her."

"Yes," Silver Claw snapped. "The pack I was with respected her and treated her as if she was a raptor."

"You're a pathetic excuse for a raptor," a large male, almost the size of Tyrannous stepped forward. The other members bowed their heads.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Red Fang and I am the leader of this pack along with my mate, Cassandra." The male said in a deep tone.

"Why am I pathetic," Silver Claw questioned. "I did what I felt was right and I stand by it."

"Well, where is this other pack," Red Fang demanded.

"In there territory," Silver Claw said and set himself down on the rock. "I left because of Amanda's death."

"Silver Claw, you are the last of your family, just except it and come down here so I can have my revenge." Tyrannous hissed.

"Did you know my mother had a sister?" Silver Claw smirked. "Because she does and that raptor has children, just as strong as you Tyrannous."

Tyrannous hissed. "I shall find them too then."

"No you will not," a voice hissed. Silver Claw looked to see Loki jump down next to him. "If you want to fight them you should start with me."

"What are you doing here Loki?" Silver Claw snapped and stood up. "You were part of the reason Amanda is dead."

"I followed you after you left the nest," Loki replied. "I came to see my mate but postponed that because you were leaving."

"What happened to your body?" Tyrannous asked.

"Oh," Loki said and smiled. "I have a scar from every carnivore on this island. I call them my badges of honor."

"Come down here so I can kill you too." Tyrannous hissed.

"Watch your tongue omega." Red Fang hissed.

"You're the omega Tyrannous," Silver Claw laughed.

"So are you," Loki said.

Silver Claw looked at him. "You didn't have to say that."

"You want a fight to the death Tyrannous," Loki said. "You killed Scars children, Silver Claw's parents and children, so I accept."

Loki jumped down and looked straight at Tyrannous. Loki bared his teeth and raised his claws. The pack back up slightly and hissed at Loki.

"You dare to challenge me," Tyrannous hissed.

"Yes," Loki said. "Silver Claw is part of my family and you will pay for the deaths you caused."

"So be it," Tyrannous hissed and jumped forward.

Loki easily jumped aside and latched onto Tyrannous's neck. Tyrannous twisted his head and bit into Loki's neck, forcing both to release each other. Each started to circle one another but before they could attack each other again, Silver Claw jumped between them, stumbling slightly. He placed a blue stone on the ground but held the shirt.

"Loki this is my fight," Silver Claw said. "Not yours."

"You are in no condition to fight," Loki said.

"I know but…" Silver Claw started but Tyrannous threw him to the ground.

Silver Claw snapped at Tyrannous. Tyrannous quickly placed his foot on Silver Claw's head. "Any last words," Tyrannous grinned as he put his jaw around Silver Claw's neck.

Silver Claw could feel the pressure increasing as Tyrannous closed his jaws. Silver Claw started to wheeze as his breath became shallower. I am sorry mom, Silver Claw thought. He whimpered slightly and closed his eyes.

"Typical," Tyrannous mumbled.

Sophia looked down, conflicted between two packs, two lives. She snarled at Tyrannous.

Suddenly Silver Claw felt Tyrannous's teeth drag off his neck. Silver Claw opened his eyes to see that Sophia shoved Tyrannous off him. She slowly bent down and nuzzled his head, gently licking his cheek.

Silver Claw staggered to his feet and looked into her amber eyes. "Thank you Sophia."

"What are you doing?" Red Fang hissed. "You just interrupted a fight that he wanted. You should be ashamed beta."

"You're the beta?" Silver Claw asked.

"Yes," Sophia said and looked the Red Fang. "I belong to this pack but I still have allegiances to my old one, even if he is a human loving omega."

"So be it," Cassandra hissed. "You are banished from this territory and pack forever."

Sophia looked down and quickly walked away.

"As for you two," Red Fang hissed. "You will leave with her or die."

Silver Claw hesitated for a moment, he felt torn between killing Tyrannous but he would die probably. Finally, Silver Claw picked up the stone and shirt. He looked to Loki and both ran to Sophia. Silver Claw looked back to see Tyrannous surrounded by the pack, they snarled at him.

The three passed into the jungle and Sophia turned to the right. Silver Claw turned to follow her while Loki stopped.

"Where are you two going?" Loki asked. "Aren't you heading to the nests?"

Sophia looked back and shook her head so Loki followed them.

Silver Claw looked at Sophia and nudged her slightly. "I'm sorry I got you banish Sophia."

"It's alright." Sophia sighed. "They were… well, unintelligent."

"Where will you go?" Silver Claw asked softly.

"I am going to an area outside this territory where I can live out my banishment." Sophia said, still looking down.

"Maybe you could come back to our territory," Loki suggested. "I'm sure my mother would accept you, maybe she'll accept me back."

"What do you mean by that?" Sophia asked.

"I too was banished because I hid Ellie on Silver Claw and made it look like she died." Loki replied.

"How," Sophia could only ask.

"It was in a building. I found a cold room with meats hanging from the roof so I pulled one down and dragged it into a room. After, I let it become soft and tore it up a bit. I pushed boxes to hide the head and some of the body while I ripped some cloths to make it look more realistic." Loki sighed. "I pulled Ellie in and before Silver Claw got into the room, I lunged at Ellie and she passed out. I dragged her away and all Silver Claw saw was a dead body in a room where she was taken into."

"Wow," Sophia said and looked at Silver Claw. "What was it about these humans that you liked?"

"They saved me for one," Silver Claw said. "They were nice to me and I taught them to speak our language."

"Why?" Sophia asked.

"I taught them in hopes I could have a new pack." Silver Claw replied. "Amanda was a fast learned." Silver Claw smiled. "How did you survive?"

"Well when the spinosaur chased use, I saw you fall but the spinosaurus was too close to stop so I ran on." Sophia said. "I kept running and fell into a hole in the ground that turned out to be a tunnel. I followed it until I ended up near this place."

"That happened to me and Amanda a few time," Silver Claw said, "Those tunnels saved us."

"What happened exactly happened to Amanda?" Sophia asked.

"Jack wanted to see her hunt so we brought her along." Silver Claw said in a sad tone. "While we watched on a hill, Amanda went to hunt what I thought would be a gallimimus or something small like that. She decided to attack a full-grown triceratops and might have succeeded, if Loki did not attack something on the other side of the field. It woke up and looked at Loki, Amanda stabbed two knives in its neck but she didn't kill it." Silver Claw whimpered slightly. "It hooked her on one of its horns and tossed her, the triceratops died shortly after."

"I'm sorry," Sophia said.

"Some human took her body away from me," Silver Claw said and got angry. "She died before I got to say anything to her. That human took my mate!"

"You must have really felt something for her," Sophia said. "It's not just because you're at age now."

"What do you mean?" Silver Claw questioned in an angered tone.

"You've reached maturity," Sophia said. "The crests above your eyes are deep red."

"Oh, Amanda mentioned that they were getting red." Silver Claw said in a calmer voice and looked at Sophia. He noticed a long scar along her left side. "How'd you get that scar?"

"The fight for beta position," Sophia said and smiled. "I won."

"Good for you," Silver Claw said.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Sophia sighed. "The fight seems pointless now that I'm banished."

"Yeah…." Silver Claw said in a low soft tone. "I am sorry about that."

"I know," Sophia said. "I'm glad you're alive."

"Yeah, I missed you too." Silver Claw said. "I hope we're still friends."

"Of course Silver Claw," Sophia said sweetly. "You are still my friend."

Silver Claw looked down. Suddenly a twig snapped. A massive head burst from the trees and latched onto Loki's tail. He howled in pain and dug his claws deep into the creature's snout. The head disappeared, leaving Loki where he stood.

"Run," Sophia screamed.

* * *

Author Note: Because of my holidays being move ahead a few days, I managed to type one last chapter. I will not be able to update until sometime after August 8th or so. 


	20. Revenge

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 20: Revenge

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author Note: I just got home on August 10 at 11:00 pm and spent the next day cleaning. I am sorry for the delay but I will try to continue updating every few days. Thank you for being patient.

* * *

"Run!" Sophia Screamed.

As the three began to dash away into the dark jungle, the massive head burst once more from the trees but this time instead of reaching for Loki, it reached for Silver Claw. Silver Claw jumped out of the path of the creature's head. The skin color of the creature flashed slightly as it changed color to match the jungle once more. Suddenly, the creatures swung its head, hitting Silver Claw in the side and sending him into a large group of trees.

Silver Claw roared in pain as he crashed into a large branch that snapped as his body pushed through it. He collapsed to the ground; pain surged through his body in massive waves that forced him to stay on the ground. His muscles tensed and cramped, his vision flickered and his breathing became labored.

A foot crashed down in front of Silver Claw. The carnotaurus towered over Silver Claw, drool dripped from its jaws in long strings of saliva as it reached for the injured velociraptor. Hot putrid breath washed over Silver Claw as the creature's snout moved closer. A deep low hiss escaped the throat of the dinosaur as it slowly opened its jaws.

Silver Claw closed his eyes and hoped his death would be quick one. Thoughts of the countless times of joy Amanda had brought him in their short time together and thoughts of his mother, his father, and his siblings all raced through his head in a spiraling mess of memories and images.

Suddenly a loud snap echoed through the jungle. Quickly after, the thunderous crashing of large feet sounded throughout the area. Silver Claw opened his eyes to see a herd of anatotitan burst from the trees. A waved of pain and dizziness overwhelmed him and the world became black.

* * *

_Amanda gradually opened her eyes. She soon closed them as the glare of the sun washed over her face. With a heavy sigh, Amanda rose to her feet but she felt strange. Slowly, she_ _opened her eyes and turned her gaze to her body to see that she was once more a velociraptor._

"_Another dream," she sighed and looked around._

_Around her, tall, chest high, golden grasses swayed carelessly in the wind. About fifty meters away, the grasses halted at a wall of jungle that enclosed around the area to form a small glade. A small flock of nine birds flew overhead but soon disappeared into the horizon._

"_Amanda!" A voice called out from the distance. "Come quick."_

"_Coming," Amanda called back, happy that it did not hurt to do so that loud like it did as a human. She knew there was no point in arguing because it was just a dream so ran towards the voice._

_She quickly passed through the grass and into the jungle. Large ferns and cycads slapped against her snout as she pressed into the depths of the jungle. The dew wet her body but soon rolled off her in large droplets, dropping freely to the ground. Within a minute, she entered a small opening in the trees and stopped._

_Amanda smiled. "Hello my mate, you called."_

_Silver Claw stood at the center of the small clearing. He looked at her, then down at a large nest and quickly looked back to her. "Our young," he said, ecstatically. "They're hatching."_

_Amanda quickly raced over and looked into the nest. Soft squeaks filled the air and several of the eggs had already begun to crack. Waves of indescribable emotions flooded Amanda as she watched the eggs crack until the first hatchling broke free. _

"_Hello little one," Amanda cooed. She quickly reached down to him and licked him clean of the remaining fluids and shell. It was a young male. "Our first to hatch is a boy Silver Claw." Amanda said delighted. "He looks just like you."_

_Silver Claw smiled and licked her cheek. The young raptor suddenly grabbed hold of Silver Claw's lower jaw. Silver Claw snorted in amusement and discomfort. "Feisty little guy," Silver Claw said and lifted his head but the hatchling held tight._

"_He just likes you," Amanda purred and moved to the next egg to hatch, a female._

_An hour passed before all the eggs hatched. By the end, a total of four females and three males filled the nest. The young raptors jumped and nipped at each other as they played. Amanda and Silver Claw looked on; expressions of utter content marked their faces._

"_We're parents," Silver Claw finally said to break the silence._

"_I know. This is the greatest feeling in the world." Amanda said with a tone of unwavering joy._

"_And to think, for all those years you were human, we never thought that this kind of thing would happen." Silver Claw replied in the same amount of joy._

"_Yeah," Amanda sighed and laid herself next to the nest. She sighed. Too bad this is not real. I wish we could be the same species. "So, have you thought of any names for them?"_

"_No, not yet," Silver Claw replied and set down next to her, curling his tail over hers. Suddenly, Silver Claw yelped, clinging to his hand was the first born. "He sure is feisty for a hatchling."_

"_Stop biting your father," Amanda said softly, holding back the urge to laugh. "Be nice and go play with your siblings." Amanda gently picked the young raptor up with her mouth and placed him back in the nest._

_The hatchling immediately turned around once Amanda set him down. He lowered his head and widened his eyes, giving her a puppy eyed look. Amanda tenderly licked him and purred reassuringly. The young raptor chirped and jumped onto one of his passing sisters._

_Amanda shook her head. "Well at least he's not after you."_

"_Maybe he'll grow out of it," Silver Claw replied, placing his head against her neck. He playfully nibbled the underside of her jaw._

_Amanda pulled away and leaned her body against his. Amanda moved herself right against Silver Claw and curled her head under his neck, placing her head on his hands. "I'm exhausted Silver Claw. Can you watch the younglings while I rest for a bit?"_

"_Of course my mate," Silver Claw answered and gingerly licked the top of her neck._

_Amanda smiled and slowly, she fell asleep._

* * *

Amanda awoke with a groan. She opened her eyes to find herself in a tree. The midday light illuminated the jungle around her and the dream rushed back to her. A wave of sorrow flowed through her body as she remembered she was nowhere near Silver Claw. Amanda soon began to cry.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked from next to her.

"I miss Silver Claw," Amanda replied, trying to brush the tears away. "He must be so lonely."

"You'll find him," Sarah reassured. "Now, let's get out of this tree so I can show you some things."

"Like what?" Amanda asked and brushed away the last of her tears.

"To make a fire, what plants are edible, stuff like that," Sarah answered in a soft tone and shifted slightly. "My friends will be here soon, so I will be going with them."

"Oh," Amanda said with a sigh. She slowly started her descent from the tree, listening for anything that might be a cause for alarm. Sarah soon followed.

After several long minutes, they reached the base of the tree. Amanda grabbed the two knives and held them ready incase something attacked but nothing did. Sarah dropped down behind Amanda and looked around.

"Well," Sarah said. "Let's get started."

"What are you going to show me first?" Amanda asked as she started for the stream.

"Where are you going?" Sarah asked.

"I need a drink first," Amanda sighed and put the knives away. She knelt at the edge of the stream and her jeans became soaked at the knees. Amanda leaned over and placed her hands in the icy water. She cupped both her hands together and brought them to her mouth so she could drink the clear water.

Sarah walked by Amanda and continued to the far side of the stream. She slipped off her pack and pulled out her camera. She set the bag on the ground and walked ahead to several fallen logs. "There are some mushrooms over here I should show you."

Amanda slowly stood up and walked over to Sarah. She looked at the small group of mushrooms with disgust. "I'm not eating mushrooms."

"You shouldn't eat these, they're poisonous." Sarah said. "I could show you some that aren't."

"No," Amanda said plainly. "I will not eat mushrooms at all."

"Ok…" Sarah said and walked to the tree line. She knelt by a small area of grasses and pulled something from the area. "You should at least try these."

Amanda reached out and took a broad leaf from Sarah's hand. She looked at it. "What is it?"

"The plant is called Plantago Media," Sarah said. "It is a weed but has some useful medical properties."

"Like what?" Amanda asked as she examined the leaf.

"It is used for treating wounds, toothaches and eye infections." Sarah said. "You can tell what it is by the leaf shape and the pink-white flowers. I do not know what it is doing here though. It normally grows in damp fields of grass."

"Cool," Amanda said. "How does it help with wounds?"

"Oh, it, along with the other types of the plantago species have antibacterial, anti-toxins, anti-inflammatory and so on, types of medical properties." Sarah said. "It would be best not to eat the seeds though, they act as a laxative."

"That is helpful, what do I do, just eat the leaf?" Amanda questioned.

"You can but it works better if you make it into a tea. If you have wounds on say… your arm, you can soak the bandage and place it on the wound or drink it for help with your digestion of all that raw meat you like eating."

"Ok," Amanda said and placed the leaf in her mouth. She chewed once and immediately spit it out. Amanda continued to spit and scraped her tongue with her nails. "It's bitter!"

"Yeah, I should have mentioned that but I don't think it should have been that bad." Sarah said.

"Maybe it's because I'm used to meat and not plants anymore." Amanda said and sat on the log. "Are you just going to leave your bag back there?"

"Yes, it has the satellite phone my friends are going to track me with so if they come here, they will make their way here." Sarah said. "I talked with John Hammond last night while you were asleep."

"Oh, what did he say?" Amanda asked.

"Well he said that the team left and will be here today sometime." Sarah sighed. "Also, he is no longer in charge of Ingen."

"Oh," Amanda said and stood up on the log. "Where should we go now?"

"I want to catch up with those stegosaurs," Sarah said and held up the camera. "I have a job to do."

"Again, didn't you get enough of them?"

"This is my only opportunity to see live dinosaurs," Sarah said. "If you are telling the truth and do live here, you get to see them every day. This is one of the most exciting experiences I will ever have."

"Ok, but can we try and find some others later." Amanda said. "Stegosaurs are boring to be around."

Sarah only shook her head. She stepped onto the log and followed it into the brush. Amanda quickly walked after her. They passed through the dense jungle and hopped onto the leaf littered ground. A faint worn trail meandered through the vegetation before them. As they started down the path, the air became heavy with the scent of flowers and other plants. For half an hour, they passed deeper into the jungle.

"Stop," Sarah said quietly.

"What is it?" Amanda said.

A deep rumble answered her. Ahead, a large stegosaur moved into view, heading towards them. A second and a third soon appeared behind it. Amanda quickly climbed up the nearest tree. Sarah snapped a few pictures and climbed up after Amanda. As a stegosaur passed, Sarah reached out and touched one of the plates that lined its back. Once they disappeared back into the jungle, Sarah began to laugh.

"What are you laughing about?" Amanda asked.

"That was exhilarating," Sarah said joyfully. "I touched a dinosaur, a living dinosaur."

Amanda shook her head and started down the tree. Sarah sat for a moment but soon followed. Once on the ground, Sarah ran after the stegosaurs.

"Sarah, wait!" Amanda shouted and ran to catch up. After several minutes, she caught up to Sarah.

"What?" Sarah asked as she stopped to take some pictures.

Amanda stopped next to Sarah. "Can we go elsewhere?"

"I have to get my bag," Sarah said and continued after the stegosaurs.

In the distance, a voice called out. "Sarah!"

Then another sounded, "Sarah!"

"Sarah!"

"Sarah Harding!"

Amanda laughed. "How many other Sarah's are there on this island?"

"Sarah!"

"Sarah!"

"Sar…"

"Why'd the stop calling?" Amanda asked.

"The stegosaurs are heading that way," Sarah replied. She rushed forward, followed by Amanda.

Soon they reached the streambed, standing next to the logs. Sarah quickly took the chance to snap a few more pictures. Suddenly, a click sounded next to them. Both turned to see a man wearing a tan vest, faded blue shirt and dusty brown pants, standing on a log, taking pictures of the stegosaurs.

Sarah grinned, "HEY NICK!"

The man stumbled backwards, falling onto a small shrub growing on the wood. Sarah laughed and started to climb the log.

"I guess you kind of got the jump on us a bit." He said shaken as Sarah continued to laugh.

"Yeah," Sarah laughed. She reached the top of the log and gasped. She knelt on the log, straightening her back. "Ian, I never though in a million years that Hammond would get you here." Sarah burst back into laughter and jumped over the rest of one log, "Hi, Eddie!"

"Hi, Sarah," a medium built man with a rectangular object in his hand replied, waving his free hand. A large silver rifle hung from his side.

"You got a granola bar or something? I'm…starving!" Sarah said and jumped over the last fallen tree into some water. She continued to laugh though she also panted. "Those animals that walked by, did you see them?" Sarah quickly walked up to a man dressed completely in black, holding her bag. "It was a family group. I've been following them for a day or so. A pair bond, sub-adult and juvenile, I just have to find the nest."

The man seemed to ignore what she said and held up the bag, his finger through the hole. "You haven't been attacked?"

"Oh…uh, no," Sarah replied. "That's, uh, my lucky pack. That's how it always looks."

Ian shook his slightly and took in a breath. "Okay, Sarah…"

"Is that a Nikon?" Sarah interrupted Ian, her question directed at Nick.

Ian's gaze followed her as she moved towards Nick.

"Yeah, it is a Nikon," Nick replied.

"Can I borrow that?"

Ian turned his gaze back to where she was standing and looked down, exhaling heavily.

"I will be right back, baby, I promise," Sarah said, looking at Ian as she exchanged cameras with Nick.

"Have you forgotten about me?" Amanda questioned.

Everyone but Sarah turned in shook to see Amanda sitting on the log with her arms crossed and knives in her hands. Nick, Ian and Eddie stood silent, looking between Sarah and Amanda.

Finally, to break the silence, Sarah said. "This is Amanda."

Ian glared at Sarah, "You brought someone with you to this godforsaken island."

"No," Amanda interrupted. "I live here."

"Yeah ok," Ian said. "Why did you bring someone here Sarah, she doesn't even look like she's out of school."

"I found her here, Ian," Sarah lied.

"John Hammond knows I'm here." Amanda said. "I met him about a month ago."

"Ok, how long have you been here?" Ian questioned.

"Three or four months," Amanda replied, sliding one of the knives back into the sheath.

Sarah turned and started down the streambed. She quickly rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.

"Get used to her running after something," Amanda said to Ian and raced to catch up.

Ian quickly passed Amanda. "Sarah, when Hammond called you, why didn't you say something?"

Amanda shook her head. This is going to be a long day, she thought. I wish Silver Claw were here…

* * *

_Silver Claw_ _slowly opened his eyes. Around him, a dense jungle, sparsely lit and quiet. With a groan, Silver Claw staggered to his feet, his body coursed with pain and his limbs felt stiff and heavy. Uneasily, Silver Claw looked at the ground._

_A thick leaf litter, damp and sticky, covered the jungle floor. Small beetles, creating a faint rustle as they moved through the dried leaves, scurried away as Silver Claw moved his feet slightly. As he turned his gaze upward, Silver Claw noticed the large ferns and cycads that surrounded him. Amongst the undergrowth, massive trees grew. The canopy above him let blotched areas of light to the reach jungle floor._

_Suddenly, Silver Claw felt himself thrown to the ground. He snarled and snapped at his attacked but a foot pushed his head to the ground. A low hiss of a velociraptor sounded above him. Silver Claw looked to see a female raptor looking down at him. She smiled slightly and licked his cheek._

"_Got you Silver Claw," she said and a familiar soft tone._

"_Amanda?" Silver Claw stuttered._

"_Who else would it be silly?" She laughed and let him up._

"_You're a raptor?"_

"_You're still shocked to see me like this even after three weeks," she replied, shaking her head. Slowly she licked his cheek._

"_You died though," Silver Claw whimpered._

_Amanda looked down then back up. "Do I look dead to you?"_

"_No," Silver Claw admitted. "This must be a dream." Silver Claw set himself back on the ground and curled his head under his chest._

"_I am not a dream Silver Claw," Amanda spoke softly; her words rang through his head._

"_Yes you are," Silver Claw replied, whimpering. "That man took you from me."_

"_Yes I did," a voice said._

_Silver Claw snapped his head up to see the man that took Amanda out from under him. Silver Claw hissed, showing his teeth. "You," Silver Claw hissed demonically._

_Suddenly, a loud gunshot rang through the air. Amanda dropped to the ground. _

"_There, now she's dead."_

_Silver Claw filled with a rage that surpassed any that he had had before, even more than when Tyrannous killed his mother. Silver Claw leapt at the man, his screams rang pleasantly through Silver Claw's head. Silver Claw ripped flesh from bone, spilling blood everywhere. Once the body was unrecognizable as even human, he stopped. _

_Silver Claw slowly breathed in and then out. He felt… good, good that he ended the life of the one who took his mate. Slowly Silver Claw looked at his claws; blood covered them as well as his chest. Silver Claw grinned._

_However, this is all but a dream, Silver Claw thought. I will never be happy until I avenge my mate's death. Slowly he closed his eyes…_

* * *

A sudden jerk stirred Silver Claw from his sleep. He slowly opened his eyes to see the side of a raptor. Silver Claw groaned and lifted his head to see his body draped over Loki's back.

"You're awake finally," a female voice said.

Silver Claw looked over Loki's back to see Sophia looking at him, smiling. "Hello Sophia," Silver Claw replied but roared as a wave of pain shot through his chest.

Loki lowered himself to the ground so that Silver Claw could stand. Once Silver Claw was on his feet, Loki stood back up and looked at him.

"You're lucky to be alive, Silver Claw," Loki said in an emotionless tone.

"Yeah I know," Silver Claw groaned. "What happened after I blacked out?"

"Those herbivores saved your life," Sophia said. "They trampled the carnotaurus when trying to flee a tyrannosaurus."

"I lifted you onto my back and we took off." Loki sighed. "I carried you all night so that we were out of the packs territory and then had to rush to escape the tyrannosaur territory before we were discovered."

"Thank you," Silver Claw said and bowed his head. "I owe you."

"Don't worry about it," Loki said.

"I believe you will want this back," Sophia said and twisted her hand, revealing the blue stone.

Silver Claw gasped and quickly but gently plucked it out of her hand with his mouth. "Thank you Sophia," Silver Claw said.

Sophia licked his cheek. "You are welcome Silver Claw," she said with a slight glimmer in her eyes.

Silver Claw slowly closed his eyes and breathed in. He sighed. "Where are we going?"

"There is a place by the coast I found while hunting out of the territory one time," Sophia said. "We can go there and decide what to do."

"How far is it?" Loki asked. Several of the wounds on his body still trickled with blood. "I need to rest soon."

"It's only a short run ahead; you can hear the ocean already." Sophia answered, though her attention was on Silver Claw. "How are you feeling Silver Claw, because you don't look so well?"

"Angry, sore, and confused," Silver Claw replied.

"What are you angry about?" Sophia asked in a soft soothing tone.

"Humans and how one of them took my mate from me," Silver Claw whimpered. "I had a dream where the one who took her from me, shot her. I…I killed him and it felt good for some reason."

"It's only natural that you want revenge on the one who caused you pain." Sophia said. "I don't know if this is right time to ask but… do you think you'll ever find another mate?"

"What?" Silver Claw said instantly. He whimpered slightly, "It's far too soon for me. I feel as bad now as the day she was take. Why would you as that?"

Sophia lowered her head, looking up at him with her deep yellow eyes. "I was thinking… well… uh… you might consider me." Sophia said soft enough that Silver Claw almost did not hear her. "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

Silver Claw walked next to her and gently nuzzled her head. "Maybe in time but not right now, if something where to happen to you as my mate and I were unable to stop, I could not live with the pain."

Sophia lifted her head and licked his cheek, "Alright Silver Claw."

Several minutes passed as the three pressed on through the jungle. The large trees soon became small and ferns grew scarce. The constant thunder of crashing waves became louder. The air became heavy with the smell of the sea. Finally, they moved from the jungle to the rocky coastline.

"How far is it now?" Loki asked.

"Just up the coast but… I think I see something." Sophia said.

"What is it?" Silver Claw asked and followed her gaze until he could see something coming towards the island in the distance. He gasped, "A boat."

"What is a boat doing here?" Sophia asked.

"I don't know but we should check it out," Silver Claw said. Maybe I can avenge my mate now.

"Can we rest," Loki questioned.

"I agree with Silver Claw, we should check this out," Sophia said.

"Ok," Loki sighed. He slowly changed from a walk into a run. He moved into the jungle as not to slip on one of the wet stones.

Silver Claw and Sophia looked at each other and quickly followed. Almost an hour passed before they exited the jungle to a riverbank. The boat, large and rectangular in shape, held large vehicles and on the deck, four men and a boy stood.

Silver Claw hissed. "Those humans are going to stay here by the looks of it."

"What's wrong Silver Claw," Loki almost demanded. "You didn't want to hurt humans, but now, it looks like you would gladly kill each of them by yourself."

Silver Claw's rage turned to sorrow. "I don't know, I want to make them suffer like I have but Amanda would never have let me."

"Why do you want to hurt them," Sophia asked.

"Every time I've seen a human, they've hurt me, like the poison and taking my mate." Silver Claw said. "They've always been the males." Silver Claw dug his claws into the ground. "These humans will cause nothing but pain."

"What do you suggest we do?" Sophia asked.

"Let's follow them to see their intentions." Silver Claw said and moved along the riverbank.

Loki moved next to Silver Claw, "Don't do something you'll regret."

"Like you did," Silver Claw snapped. In a lower tone he added, "Sorry, I'm just frustrated right now."

"I can understand some of your frustration, I'd be furious if I lost my Anna." Loki said and closed his eyes. He smile briefly, "I would be lost without her to go home to."

"She seemed very nice when I talked to her." Silver Claw said. "You are a lucky raptor."

"They're stopping," Sophia said.

They watched as the boat slowly moved to a field, the front of the boat lowered to the ground and two of the small vehicles pulled out onto the shore. A large vehicle pulled forward then back up to another thing that looked like it but smaller. Two men left the cars and helped in attaching the large trailer to the small one.

"Let's try to get close enough to hear what they're saying." Sophia said.

Silver Claw nodded and quickly disappeared into the jungle. Sophia and Loki quickly followed and after several minutes, they were at the edge of the field and quickly hid themselves from view. The first thing Silver Claw noticed about them was the large silver rifle.

"We have to be really careful, they have a rifle." Silver Claw whispered.

They were still too far away to hear what the men talked about but soon one man left with the boy. The two enter the boat and soon it began to leave. For the next hour, Silver Claw and Sophia sat patiently as the vehicles remained unmoved in the field. Loki however was asleep.

Sophia looked to the sky to see it was almost midday. She sighed and turned her attention back to Silver Claw. All this time he was alive, she thought, alone with two humans in a building and not a nest. She smiled slightly, remembering at the time they had spent together before and now she had a chance to be his mate if only he would offer her the choice. Then again, he just lost his mate and it may be some time before he is over it.

"Silver Claw," Sophia started.

"Yes," Silver Claw said, turning to look at her.

"I was wondering. Why do you have that stone with you?" Sophia asked.

"Oh, I gave it to Amanda as a gift." Silver Claw said softly. "I am keeping it with me a reminder of her."

"Oh," Sophia could only say.

A low hum sounded and both raptors turned back to the humans. The vehicles began to move.

"Loki," Silver Claw said.

The raptor groaned. "What is it?"

"The humans are leaving and we are going to follow them." Sophia said.

Loki staggered to his feet, almost clumsily. Slowly he walked forward and into the field as the vehicles disappeared into the jungle on the other side.

"Are you alright?" Sophia asked.

"I'm not feeling to well," Loki said. "It will pass so don't worry."

"Ok, but if you have any trouble just tell us," Sophia said in a soft tone.

The three quickened their pace and soon found the tracks left by the trailer. As the three raptors passed from the grass to the jungle, the strong, heavy odor of rotting flesh filled the air. Silver Claw and Sophia froze, sniffing the air.

"Where is that coming from?" Silver Claw asked.

"I don't know," Sophia replied. "But it is close."

Following their noses, they quickly tracked down the source of the smell not far from the trail. Before them, the bloated form of an adult gallimimus. Clouds of flies filled the air as they approached the carcass. The pale skin of the dinosaur's body moved as hoards of maggots crawled over the body. Sophia sniffed part of a back leg. She bit into the leg and pulled up. The flesh peeled from the bone and seemed to splash as it hit the ground.

Sophia dropped the bone and spit the flesh from her mouth. "It tastes as terrible as it looks," she said, shaking her head.

"Yeah," Loki said, "I could have told you that."

Sophia glared at him. "Let's go find those humans."

Silver Claw nodded his head and turned away from the carcass. When they found the trail left by the vehicles again, the three raptors followed it deeper into the island, towards the interior. Loki fell behind them slightly; he seemed to be nodding off but continued behind them.

As they progressed, the terrain became stepper and sea became nothing but a whisper in the distance. The wind picked up and rustled the branches above. After an hour, they caught up with the humans, the trailer was stopped and the two small vehicles hidden. The three men stood next to the trailer, watching a group of procompsognathus. The dinosaurs chirped and bounced excitedly. Silver Claw, Sophia and Loki quickly hid themselves.

"They don't look frightened of us at all," the man holding the rifle said. He picked up a rock and gave it a light toss at the group. The compies moved slightly to dodge the stone and bobbed their heads angrily.

"Don't do that," a man said, he held a camera.

"Alright, let's go find Sarah now. Nick you got your pictures." A man dressed completely in black interrupter.

The man holding the rifle sighed and hopped back in the trail and the other two disappeared from sight. The vehicles started up and began moving. The procompsognathus sniffed the air and fled in fear of the raptors.

"Well," Loki said. "Do you still want to follow them?"

"Yes," Silver Claw said. "There is another human on the island."

"Fine," Loki said and staggered forward.

"Are you sure you're alright Loki?" Sophia sympathetically asked.

"Yes, yes, I will be fine." Loki said, slightly irritated.

"Stubborn male pride," Sophia muttered to herself. "Let's go then."

They continued after vehicles, following the ruts left by the trailers immense weight. "What are you going to do once we find the humans?" Loki asked.

"I don't know," Silver Claw said. "Depending on their intentions, I might revenge my mate."

"Just don't do something you'll regret later," Loki said.

"You told me that earlier," Silver Claw replied.

"I did?"

"Yeah," Sophia said. She sniffed the air slightly. "Something's bleeding nearby."

"It is probably Loki or I," Silver Claw said looking at her. "We both were wounded."

"Yeah," Loki agreed, "He is right about that."

"I guess so," Sophia said and smiled at Silver Claw. "How far ahead do you think they are?"

"Not too far," Silver Claw said and took in a deep breath. "….I think."

"Let's run and catch up to them so we don't loose them," Sophia suggested.

"Ok," Silver Claw said and looked at Loki. "Can you handle it and not fall asleep?"

"Yes Silver Claw," Loki said, irritated.

Several minutes passed as they ran after the trailer and they came upon a wall of brush. Several voices sounded from somewhere on the other side. Slowly, Sophia walked to her right but soon stopped and looked down.

Quietly, she whispered, "There's a cliff over here."

Silver Claw walked next to her and looked down. "Wow, I would hate to fall."

"Yeah," Loki sighed as he walked up to them. "Where are the humans?"

Sophia slowly poked her head through the brush and for a moment held it their. She pulled it back. "The humans are leaving, the vehicles are staying here."

"Well they did say something about finding someone," Loki said.

"Are they gone?" Silver Claw asked.

Sophia looked back through the brush. "Yes but someone is inside the large vehicle."

"Who?" Loki asked.

Sophia pulled back through the brush. "How am I supposed to know? It's a female though."

"Let's find somewhere nearby to rest for a bit while the other humans are gone," Silver Claw said.

Something suddenly slammed. Silver Claw stuck his head in the brush to see a young female, younger than Amanda was, with dark skin and baggy cloths walking towards them.

"The human is coming this way," Silver Claw said. "Hide before she sees us."

Loki hid himself behind a large tree while Sophia and Silver Claw hid in a thorny bush. "Why are we hiding, the female looks weak."

"I do not want to harm a female; they have done nothing wrong yet. Shhh, there she is."

The girl passed out of the brush and looked around. She hummed softly as she began gathering sticks of the ground. "I don't know why my father wouldn't let me come," the girl said to herself. "It's beautiful here."

Silver Claw and Sophia watched quietly as the girl collected the wood for several minutes. When she left, Silver Claw sighed and curled up, ignoring the pain in his chest.

"I think I'll sleep until the others get back," he said.

Loki entered the bush. "I need to rest, I can't go any further."

"Go ahead," said Sophia. "Silver Claw is also resting. I will watch the human for now and wake you guys when the others return."

"Thank you," Loki said and laid on the ground, stretching one leg straight out. "Don't bother asking me."

"Alright," Sophia snorted and left the bush.

Silver Claw slowly closed his eyes…

* * *

"Silver Claw… Silver Claw..."

Silver Claw groaned but did not wake. Suddenly, something wet slide up the side of his face. His eyes shot open to see Sophia's yellow eyes staring at him. "What is it?"

"They're back, Loki is already awake." Sophia whispered. "There are three males and three females, two of which are young."

"That is interesting." Silver Claw said. "Are they in the trailer?"

"One is out at the moment," Sophia said. "He has the rifle."

"We will have to wait then so we can get it after her goes in."

"He does not seem to let it out of his reach at all," Sophia said.

"He has now," Loki said, though he was not in sight. "And all the humans are in the trailer now."

"Let's go," Silver Claw said and jumped to his feet, cringing as a wave of pain burst from his chest. Silver Claw quickly recovered and ran to the brush, sticking his head out. Sophia moved next to him.

"What are you going to do?"

"Get my revenge," Silver Claw said.

Sophia grinned, showing her teeth. "The rifle is out of reach for any of them. There is a door on one side. They enter and leave though it, follow me."

"I'll watch from here," Loki said. "I do not want to kill a human even though one shot me before."

"Fine," Sophia said and moved forward. Silver Claw followed.

They passed the front of the trailed, keeping their heads low. Soon several muffled voices sounded from inside. Both raptors passed the door and Sophia turned around. Silver Claw did the same.

"I'll grab the first one that comes out." Silver Claw stated quietly. "You keep the other from helping."

"Ok Silver Claw." Sophia said. "I'll hold the door."

A minute passed. Silver Claw readied his claws and continued to wait. The voices grew quiet and the door clicked. Silver Claw lowered himself and once the human stepped into partial view, he pounced.

Silver Claw knocked the human to the ground, using his weight. He grabbed the human's throat and squeezed, drawing some blood. Behind him, Sophia slammed against the door. A loud thud sounded inside. The human, a female, cried out in pain.

The cry struck Silver Claw like a hammer, memories flashed in his mind.

"_Is anyone there?"_ The voice echoed in his mind. The sound of the crying echoed. _"Why are you doing this? Why won't you just end it?"_ His breath became heavy. _"Why did this happen to me! My friends…My Family… They are all gone now."_

Silver Claw rolled the human over. Her hair hid her face. Silver Claw snorted to clear it and his eyes widened. "No…" His body trembled. "No! No! No! No! NOOOO!"

* * *

Author note: The next Chapter's name is Silver Claw's Mistake. 


	21. Silver Claw’s Mistake

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 21: Silver Claw's Mistake

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author note: Sorry for the wait, I had trouble with this chapter. As always, I would like to hear any suggestions for further chapters, either in review or in personal messages.

* * *

The cries of the girl, his mate, his Amanda, echoed through the air. The sound cut through Silver Claw like a claw through his heart, the low continuous cry brought up memories of the times that she had been hurt in front of him, though it brought up one in particular, the fear he caused in her eyes.

Silver Claw whimpered. He was unsure of what to do, what could he do, he just attacked his mate, his love, his life. His teeth drew her blood, his claws cut her shirt, possibly her, and it was his fault. Even if she lived, how could she ever forgive him, how could he forgive himself?

"What's wrong?" Sophia questioned from the door. "Are you going to kill the human or shall I?"

"No," Silver Claw said, almost whimpering. "We will not harm any of them."

"Why, don't you want your revenge?" Sophia protested.

"I did and now it ended up with this," Silver Claw stepped aside and looked at Amanda. "I don't know how, but this is my mate, my Amanda." Silver Claw whimpered loudly and closed his eyes. "I thought she was dead Sophia, now she could be soon because of me."

Silver Claw breathed in, raspy and heavily. His chest pulsated with pain as the bones moved slightly. He roared with confusion and turned towards the jungle. He passed the two small vehicles and disappeared into the dense foliage.

"Silver Claw!" Sophia shouted but received only silence.

Sophia slowly released the door and looked down, turning her gaze to Amanda. So this is his mate, she thought sadly. Now I have no chance of being with Silver Claw as long as she is…alive. If I…killed her, I could be with Silver Claw…if he ever got over the fact, he attacked her. But then again if he found out, he may never forgive me.

The smell of blood was intoxicating and Sophia started to drool slightly. She was hungry and that rotting carcass did leave a foul taste in her mouth…

The door suddenly clicked and a small thud sounded. Sophia looked around her and then down toward her feet to see a small cylindrical object, labeled, but she could not understand it. A low hiss filled the air and Sophia suddenly became drowsy. She struggled to keep her balance but soon collapsed to the ground. The world became black….

* * *

Silver Claw raced through the jungle, his heart ached from stress. Even away from her, Amanda's cries echoed in his mind. In the distance, he could hear Sophia call for him but he did not answer.

How could he have done something like that to a human, let alone his mate? Why did he have to give into anger? It just inflicted pain on the one he held dear. Silver Claw whimpered as a disturbing thought ran through his head.

He was no better than Tyrannous.

Hatred has caused him to hurt the one he loved.

Silver Claw spit the blood from his mouth but the taste lingered on. He now despised its taste, what used to be a pleasant thing that got him exited, now only caused him pain with the added knowledge that he inflicted possibly lethal wounds on his mate.

How could he have run away from Amanda and left her as he did, if she was still alive, the humans could have helped her. He left his mate for dead, Silver Claw whimpered at the thought. Then there was Sophia, she want to be his mate and he left both of them together, and alone. An image of Amanda's pale body entered his mind. He roared out in pain, not just that he attacked her and left her, or that he never did say good-bye again, but that he failed to protect her from several things, worse of all, himself.

Suddenly, he felt himself drop, his body crashed into the ground. His chest pulsed with pain as he began to tumble down a steep slope. The world spun around him. He passed large boulders and slender trees, small sharp stones cut through his scales and dotted the ground with fresh specks blood. Ferns and branches lashed his face as he continued to fall down the slope. Then, slowly, he started to level off and finally, he came to an abrupt stop on something soft.

The world spun around him and he felt sick. His body burned and throbbed, his stomach felt like it was in knots and his breathing became labored. Silver Claw set his head against the ground, hoping the pain would end by itself or death would take him, both sounded good at that moment.

At least the ground brought some welcomed warmth to his body and reduced the pain he felt slightly, though nothing could ease his heart. Slowly, his senses came back and he was able to see clearly again. He lay at the bottom of a dried up sandy streambed. Large boulders lay strewn about in an unorganized manner, small pebbles dotted the area and several fallen trees created bridges along the steeply sloped sides of the area.

Silver Claw staggered to his feet, his legs throbbed in protest but Silver Claw ignored the discomfort. His chest pulsated with pain and he felt that the broken bones had moved slightly during the fall or possibly, he had another broken rib.

Slowly, Silver Claw limped forward, following the streambed because his legs could not carry him up the hill, not after that fall. The jungle around him echoed with life, birds called from the treetops while in the distance, the low rumble of stegosaurs.

Several minutes passed as Silver Claw limped down the sandy streambed. As he rounded a rocky corner, he found himself looking the maw of a cave, the streambed lead into it. Silver Claw cautiously sniffed the air. When he could not smell anything that could be a threat, he slowly entered…

* * *

Sophia slowly awoke, her senses were cloudy and her vision blurred. Several voices sounded around her, those of humans, they seemed on edge and nervous.

They had better be nervous, Sophia thought as her sight slowly returned. She saw several thick bars only inches from her face. What is this? She thought angrily and tried to stand but hit something solid. Sophia looked up and around, she was in a cage, they put her in a cage! She roared and slammed against the wall but it would not give.

"The creatures awake," someone close by said.

Sophia looked to see a group of people approaching her. She snarled angrily and showed her teeth but the humans still approached her. She noticed one of them held the rifle pointed at her.

An adult female knelt by Sophia and sighed. "Hello," she said softly. "My name is Sarah."

"I don't care," Sophia snarled. "Let me out of this cage!"

Sarah paused for a moment. "I can't understand you but there is someone inside the trailer that can, you and your friend attacked her… She's the only reason that Eddie has not shot you."

Sophia snorted and turned her head. The door to the trailer opened and Sophia shifted her eyes to see Amanda step out, her face streaked with drying tears and neck bandaged. Sophia growled.

Amanda slowly walked over and sat down next to the cage. She pulled her knees up to her chest and looked at Sophia. After a minute, she spoke. "Hello," Amanda said softly in raptor. "My name is Amanda, what's yours."

"I know who you are," Sophia hissed. Pathetic, she thought.

"Oh," Amanda said. "Who told you about me?"

"Several of _my_ kind," Sophia said. "Silver Claw for one."

"You met Silver Claw?" Amanda said excitedly. "Where is he, how is he?"

"He has two broken ribs and right now, I don't know where he is," Sophia growled.

Amanda's expression drastically changed and she started to cry, "How much pain is he in?"

"I don't know, but it seemed like a lot." Sophia replied, knowing it would only cause Amanda more grief.

"How do you know Silver Claw," Amanda asked through her crying.

"He is a member of my old pack," Sophia said.

"How, he said that his pack died." Amanda brushed away the tears.

"He thought I was but that proved to be wrong." Sophia said. Just like his choice of mates.

"Sophia?" Amanda questioned.

"Yes," she hissed, wondering how Amanda knew her name.

"You don't have to be angry with me," Amanda said. "You did attack me."

"I'm in a cage," Sophia hissed. "And I was not the one who attacked you or anyone." Yet.

"Who attacked me then?" Amanda said.

Before Sophia could answer, a blue stone landed by Amanda. Amanda looked to the stone and picked it up. She looked at the bushes.

It was the stone Silver Claw had given her as a gift, could it be that he was here and carried it with him. Amanda's heart raced with excitement, excitement of being with him, excitement that she could talk with him for the first time in over a week.

Amanda's lips trembled with anxiety. "Silver Claw, Silver Claw is that you?" Amanda questioned in raptor.

"No," a voice replied from the bushes. "It's Loki."

"Loki," Amanda questioned in English. "What are you doing here?"

"Could you tell that man with the gun to stop pointing it here?" Loki said. "I have to talk with you, it is important."

Amanda became nervous. "Eddie, don't shoot the raptor that is coming out of the bushes, he is an old friend of mine and won't attack you."

"What about the one we have locked up?" Eddie questioned.

"Keep her there for now, I don't really know her." Amanda said and added in raptor. "I'll get you out of there once they're inside the trailer, for their safety as well as yours."

Eddie lowered the gun slightly and Loki slowly entered the clearing. He slowly passed one of the vehicles. Ian held Kelly close while everyone else shifted uneasily and moved away from the cage. Loki limped slightly as he walked up to Amanda. He stopped a meter in front of her and set himself on the ground.

"How's your neck Amanda?" Loki asked. His voice seemed a little raspy.

"It will heal." Amanda said and rubbed it softly. "Did you see who did this to me?"

Loki looked down. "Yes I did, that's what I have to talk to you about."

"Can you get me out of this damn cage," Sophia hissed in frustration and hit the bars again. "My legs are getting sore from this position."

Loki looked her in the eyes. "It serves you right for talking him into it Sophia."

"What are you talking about?" Amanda asked. "Where is Silver Claw?"

"You must understand this Amanda," Loki said softly. "Silver Claw thought that you were dead and for most of the time after the incident he sat in your nest, devastated that he lost you. He started having dreams, nightmare if you will, very uncommon for a raptor, of humans harming you and taking you away from him. He barely ate and his two broken ribs only added to his pain. One night he left the nests and turned south, where he was going, I know not."

Tears started to roll down Amanda's cheeks. "Where are you going with this, how did you get the stone he gave to me, is Silver Claw alright?"

"He took the stone with him when he left and I followed him in secret," Loki explained. "He kept getting more and more furious with humans and took it out on some prey, he hurt himself even more because of it and still he had rage building in him. Then we found Tyrannous and Sophia. I'll tell you about it later."

"Why are you avoiding my questions Loki," Amanda sobbed. "Where is Silver Claw?"

"Well, he…uh… Sophia, Silver Claw and I made it to the coast and spotted a boat. We followed it and wound up here. The entire trip we followed these vehicles, Silver Claw only got angrier, saying that humans only caused pain."

"He would never say that," Amanda sobbed. "Where is he Loki? Please, I want to see him."

Loki found it hard to continue without answering her but did. "We got here and the three males left so Silver Claw decided to wait for them. He was determined to revenge your supposed death Amanda. Sophia told us that they got back with two girls but Silver Claw only wanted to harm the males. So…Sophia and Silver Claw went up to the trailers and…"

"No!" Amanda shouted. "You're not suggesting what I think you are!"

"I am sorry Amanda but…" Loki said and lowered his head. "Silver Claw attacked you."

"No!" Amanda cried. "He couldn't have, he couldn't have!"

"I'm sorry Amanda," Loki said softly.

"Shut up!" Amanda screamed and ran into the trailer, slamming the door behind her.

"Amanda!" Sarah shouted and raced into the trailer.

Loki watched Sarah run by him and into the trailer. He felt bad that he had to tell her but someone had to. He sighed and looked at Sophia. "Well, now look what's happened Sophia. You're in a cage because you and Silver Claw had to attack someone just for revenge."

"Don't lecture me Loki," Sophia hissed. "Let me out."

"No, I will let the human let you out when they see fit." Loki replied. He whimpered slightly.

"What's with you?" Sophia asked.

"Nothing…" Loki replied.

"Are you hurt or what Loki?" She asked angrily.

"Just never mind," Loki said.

Slowly Loki stood up and turned to the group of humans. He slowly walked towards them, keeping his head low in hope that they would not see him as a threat. Eddie however raised the gun slightly. Ian held Kelly close though Nick remained somewhat calmer.

He found humans a very interesting creature, how they spoke to one another in different languages, how they had no claws or teeth that where any more than to eat with but they still could kill something many times larger with things they made, how they could build things far greater in size than they were. Even after the group of humans shot him in the tail, he still enjoyed watching them, though from a much safer distance.

Loki continued to approach and stopped only two meters in front of them. He tilted and angled his head as he examined the humans. After he was satisfied, he turned back to Sophia but he felt something touch his tail. He turned his head to see that Kelly, whose name he heard earlier while hiding in the brush, pull her hand away from his tail.

Loki turned to face her; he could smell the fear that she now had. Slowly he approached, ignoring the rifle aimed at him. Ian moved in front of Kelly but Loki lifted his head to look behind him. Ian started to sweat heavily with Loki's head only inches from his neck.

"Don't be scared," Loki said in an unthreatening growl.

Eddie placed his finger on the trigger. "Back up creature or I'll shoot."

Loki looked at him and lowered his head. He stepped back slightly and laid himself on the ground. Eddie seemed stunned that Loki listened to him but he lowered the gun slightly. Kelly looked out from around Ian.

* * *

Amanda rushed into the trailer. Tears streaked her reddened face and her heart raced. She rushed into the front trailer and sat at the table, letting the stone slide to the wall. She set her head on the table and cried even louder.

How could Silver Claw do something like that? Why would he do it? Was Loki even telling her the truth? Why would he not tell her the truth? Then there is Sophia, does Silver Claw possibly feel something for her? Did Silver Claw even want to be her mate anymore?

The door clicked and somebody entered. Amanda slowly turned her head to see Sarah standing next to her. "Go away," sobbed Amanda. She turned her head so that she looked straight down and moved her wrists under her forehead.

"Amanda, what happened?" Sarah asked softly and slowly sat down on the other side of the table.

"Go away." Amanda continued to sob. "I don't want to take about it."

"Please Amanda," Sarah spoke softly. "I want to know if I can help you at all."

"You can't."

"Why, what happened between you and that raptor?"

"I wasn't between us but…he told me something that should never have happened."

Sarah gently placed her hand on Amanda's arm. "Please Amanda, I want to help."

Amanda slowly looked up. "Silver Claw has two broken ribs and he…." she trailed off and looked at the floor.

"I can fix that probably," Sarah said. "But that is not what's bothering you, is it?"

Amanda cried even louder. "He was the raptor that attacked me!"

"Oh my god," Sarah said in a low tone. "I'm sorry, truly I am."

Sarah slowly slid out of her seat and moved next to Amanda. She placed her left arm around Amanda's shoulder. Amanda turned and put her head on Sarah's shoulder.

"Why does this kind of stuff happen to me?" Amanda sobbed. "I don't even know if he still loves me."

"Why would he change his mind," Sarah said softly and rubbed Amanda's back gently.

"They female raptor out there was from his original pack," Amanda sobbed. "He though she died and then found me. He may have feeling for her still and he knows her better than me probably."

"But he chose to be your mate first, did he not?" Sarah said in a soft, almost motherly tone.

"Yes," Amanda replied. "But he was not old enough to have a mate before then."

"How long do raptors stay mates for?" Sarah asked.

"For life, I think it was." Amanda said and pulled back slightly so she could brush away the tears.

"He wanted to be with you for the rest of his life," Sarah said softly. "I think that he would still love you even after he found an old friend of his. By the way, what is that blue stone about."

Amanda sniffled. "Silver Claw gave it to me as a gift; he didn't know what it was but thought I would like it."

"That was nice of him," Sarah said. "Do you want to go find him?"

"Yes," Amanda replied. "I don't know where he is though."

"Maybe your friend out there could help you."

"Maybe…" Amanda brushed away her tears. "Thank you Sarah."

"Your welcome," Sarah said and slowly stood up. "I'll be outside, just come out when you're ready."

"Ok," Amanda said and picked up the stone. I hope she is right about Silver Claw, Amanda thought as she looked into the stone. I hope she is right. Amanda slowly stood up and looked at Sarah, "Let's go."

Amanda and Sarah walked to the second trailer and opened the door. They stepped out into the light and were stunned to see that Kelly was next to Loki, petting him. Loki seemed somewhat content in letting her do so and purred softly on occasion.

Amanda laughed slightly. "Found a friend did you Loki?"

Loki turned to see her. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I need your help. I need to find Silver Claw." Amanda said, pocketing the stone.

"I don't know where he went," Loki replied.

"You can smell his trail can't you?"

"Well… yes but…" Loki said.

"But what Loki," Amanda questioned.

Loki slowly nudged Kelly away and rolled to his side. He stretched out his left leg so that the inside was visible. Amanda gasped; a large, deep gash ran along the inside of his leg, it looked raw and infected.

"I can't go much further," Loki admitted. "I got this when a Carnotaurus ambushed us a few days ago, I've tried to rest but it only got worse and now I think it will be the end of me."

"How has he survived with that?" Sarah questioned. "A wound that size should have killed him."

"Velociraptors are slow bleeders," Amanda said, holding back another wave of tears. "It takes them a long time to bleed out, even with large wounds."

"Get him to come with me into the trailer. I'll see what I can do." Sarah said and turned around, entering the trailer again.

"Loki, Sarah may be able to help you," Amanda said in raptor, knowing that she had only one other choice to help her find Silver Claw. "Go with her."

With a grunt, Loki stood up and limped into the trailer. When his tail disappeared inside, Amanda closed the door and looked at Sophia. She seemed to be asleep.

Amanda slowly walked over to the cage and sat down. "Sophia," Amanda said softly.

One eye slowly opened. "What do you want human?"

"I need your help," Amanda replied.

Sophia snorted. "What do you need me for?"

"I need you to help me find Silver Claw." Amanda said. "I need to speak with him."

"I don't know where he is," Sophia said.

"I'll let you out of the cage," Amanda said.

Sophia's upper lip twitched slightly. "What do you wish to speak with him about?"

"It's personal."

Sophia sighed. "If you let me out of her, I'll help you find him."

"Thank you," Amanda said and reached for the pin holding the roof shut.

"What are you doing Amanda?" Eddie asked. "You aren't going to let that thing out, are you?"

"Yes, she said she'll help me find Silver Claw." Amanda said and pulled the pin. She pushed open the top and Sophia stood up.

"It feels good to be free." Sophia said and walked towards the area Silver Claw ran in. "Hurry up if you want to find him."

Amanda quickly followed Sophia past the group and into the jungle. They passed the large trees and ferns that surrounded the clearing. After several minutes, they reached a thinning area of jungle and Sophia stopped. She slowly turned her head to see Amanda and showed her teeth.

Amanda reached for her knives but it was too late, Sophia tackled Amanda and held her arms so she could not reach the knives. Sophia snarled and looked her straight in the eyes.

"What do you want Sophia," Amanda asked, struggling to free her arms.

"What do I want," Sophia repeated. "I don't know anymore, you have the only raptor I have had any feeling for, my old pack is gone, my new pack banished me because I sided with Silver Claw, and…I have no family left."

"Sophia, could you let me up so we could maybe talk about it then." Amanda said softly.

"Why should I do that," Sophia snapped. "You are just a human and possible prey to me."

"I lost most of my family as well," Amanda said.

"Most, but I lost all!" Sophia snarled. "My parents died in the attack and I am an only child."

"I thought all of my family died as well but when I was on the mainland…I found out that my father survived." Amanda said as several tears rolled down her cheeks. "I could have gone with him back home to my old life and forgotten about this island but I didn't. I came here to find Silver Claw so that we could be together again."

Sophia's expression softened. "You could have gone back to your old life but came back for Silver Claw?"

"Yes Sophia," Amanda said softly. She took in a deep breath before continuing. "Silver Claw is my mate and I love him, not even my father will make me leave him."

"Oh," Sophia sighed. "How do you know who I am anyway?"

"Silver Claw told me a lot about you," Amanda said. "Could you let me up please?"

"Really," Sophia said and looked away for a moment. She stepped off Amanda so that she could stand up. "What did he tell you?"

"He said that you were his best friend, how you were a kind, generous, and loyal." Amanda stood up and faced Sophia. "He told me that you were the only other raptor the same age as him in you pack. How I would like you, if I met you."

"He told you all that," Sophia smile slightly. "Did he tell you anything else?"

"Yes, but only the good things about you and the others in your pack," Amanda said.

"Silver Claw is always a loyal friend; he never would say anything bad about his friends." Sophia sighed and looked at her scar.

"Yeah," Amanda agreed. "If you don't mind, what happened to your back?"

"I got it in a fight for the beta position in the pack that banished me," Sophia sighed and looked back to Amanda. "Let's find him before he gets too far ahead of us."

"Ok," Amanda said and followed Sophia as she followed Silver Claw's faint scent trail.

Birds echoed around them as they walked through the jungle, in the distance, stegosaurs, probably the ones from earlier, moved through the foliage towards the south. The ground became hard and steep and Sophia stopped.

Sophia looked down the slope in front of them. "I don't think he walked down here," Sophia said softly. "Silver Claw fell."

Amanda slowly stepped down the slope, taking her time so that she did not fall. "Hurry Sophia, he might be hurt."

"I know," Sophia said and slowly stepped onto the sloping ground. Sophia turned her body sideways and continued down. Sophia suddenly stopped and sniffed the ground.

"What is it?" Amanda asked.

"Blood."

Amanda hurried now; she did not care about her own safety but Silver Claw's. She emerged at the bottom of the slope, only to find a large dip in the sand in the shape of a raptor, with several red spots. Footsteps leading away from the spot calmed Amanda slightly with the knowledge that he was alive. Suddenly, a loud snap sounded and Amanda turned to see Sophia crash into the sand.

"Are you alright?" Amanda asked Sophia.

"Yes," Sophia groaned and slowly stood up. She saw the trail of footsteps, "This will make it easy to find him."

"Yeah," Amanda sighed. She slowly followed the prints along the streambed.

Sophia shook her body to cleanse her scales of sand. When she was clean, she followed Amanda. As they walked, both remained silent.

Amanda and Sophia passed large boulders and broken branches as they looked for Silver Claw along the streambed. The occasional fallen log created a bridge overhead. The banks of the streambed grew increasingly steep until they turned into walls of rock.

They rounded a corner and found themselves at the mouth of a cave. The dimly lit interior bellowed waves of musty air outward. The footprints continued onward into the cave.

"Should we call him," Amanda asked, "and see if he comes out."

"No," Sophia stated as she sniffed the air. "He will probably run."

"Yeah I guess so," Amanda sighed.

"He defiantly went in her, not too long ago either." Sophia said. "He should not be more than a quick run ahead of us."

"I can't run as fast as you," Amanda said.

"I know," Sophia said and grinned. "Those scrawny legs could not carry too fast."

Amanda frowned and walked forward. Sophia looked along the edge of the cave entrance and slowly followed Amanda. As they rounded a small bend in the cave, a large creature stepped in front of the cave and let out a low growl.

"I wonder how far this cave goes?" Amanda said as she looked around.

Sophia remained silent except for the occasional sniff of the air. As they continued deeper into the cave, small holes in the ceiling allowed beams of light to pour through, illuminating the ground in spots and providing Amanda with enough light to see her way around. The ground became ragged and hard underfoot where small stones replaced the sand. Before long, the smell of decaying flesh began to fill the air.

Amanda tried to wave the smell away from her face but soon gave up. "Where is that coming from?"

"Up ahead more," Sophia said and licked her lips. "I may just have to stop for a bite."

Amanda sighed. "Where can he be Sophia?"

"He is not much further ahead, his scent is getting stronger." Sophia said. "Maybe he went to sleep. I know that is how I cope with stress."

"Maybe, then he won't…" Amanda started but Sophia interrupted.

"Shhh, I hear something up ahead, hide against the wall until I figure out what it is." Sophia whispered.

Amanda nodded and quietly moved to the wall but continued to follow Sophia, keeping her hands on the knives just incase. Suddenly Sophia stopped, pressing Amanda against the wall with her tail. Amanda struggled but Sophia glanced back at her quickly, shaking her head.

"Silver Claw," Sophia said. "I've been looking all over for you."

Around a small corner, Silver Claw stood over a fresh carcass, only a day old. Above it, an opening to the surface, littered with ferns. He snapped his head up and looked at Sophia, blood dripped from his jaws. "Sophia…" he spoke quietly then in a lower tone. "What happened to Amanda?"

"She's alive," Sophia replied. "The humans were able to help her; you didn't do anything serious, only a few minor wounds."

"So she is alright then?" Silver Claw asked.

Amanda opened her mouth to speak but Sophia only moved her tail in front of it. "Yes she is Silver Claw and I think she wants to see you."

"How could she want to see me, I attacked her, I could have kill her." Silver Claw sighed. "I am no better than Tyrannous."

Tears rolled down Amanda eyes when she heard that. She shoved Sophia's tail and ran to Silver Claw, throwing her arms around his neck. "Do not ever say that!"

"A…Amanda?" Silver Claw stuttered.

"Yes my mate," she said softly. "I do not want you to say that ever again, you are better than him!"

Suddenly rocks crumbled behind Sophia and a low hiss echoed through the cave. Sophia turned and sniffed the air. She slowly backed towards Silver Claw and Amanda, her eyes widened.

As she did, a large triangular head moved into view. A short blunt horn sat at the tip of the blood red head, its short muscular arms clawed at the air, its bulk, a dark green with black stripes, shook with each step. Its thick back legs bent heavily so that the animal's back did not scrape the roof. It was a ceratosaurus.

"Run," Amanda said.


	22. The Oncoming Storm

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 22: The Oncoming Storm

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.

Author Note: Well the wait was for good reason; I am back in school, grade 11. I will try to update at least once a week if I can. As usual, I would like to hear what you think about the story, any ideas, and any ways I could improve.

* * *

The cave shook under the force of the ceratosaur's roar as chased the group. The ground shook underfoot and rocks fell from the ceiling as the creature quickly gained ground on Amanda, Silver Claw and Sophia.

The dark cave was hard enough to follow walking, running made it nearly impossible for Amanda, her eyes where not as adjusted to the light as the raptors and she was not able to see as clearly, even if they were. She often hit rocks that threatened to trip her every time, but managed to keep her footing, but just barely. Several times, she stepped in a small pool of water, splashing an icy jet of water up her leg that cramped her muscles.

Around a distant corner of the cave, light dimly filled the area, possibly an exit or cave-in that lead to the surface. Amanda's legs began to burn from the effort, her heart raced, and she knew that if she did not rest soon, she would collapse and the ceratosaurus would get her. Tears started to roll down her face as she began to fall behind slightly, the ceratosaurus was gaining on her and it would not be long before it caught her.

They rounded the corner and had to squint because of the brightness. The area before them opened up into a massive cavern, at least forty meters high and sixty wide, the length was undeterminable. Open to the world above by a long, wide crack in the rock, vines and roots dangled from the roof. Stalagmites rose form the ground to form towering pillars of stone. Slabs of stone off to the left, fallen from the roof that once sealed the opening, created a large, almost stair like affect to the surface, though it was very steep and smooth.

Amanda forced herself to keep up with the raptors. Her body felt as if it was on fire, her limbs began to stiffen and even breathing hurt. But what ever her pain, she was determined to stay alive, she could not die, not now, not when she found Silver Claw, not when she refused to go home with her father, not when she was finally where she loved to be, this island, no matter its danger.

Silver Claw let out a whimper, his chest burned because of his ribs and that was no going to change unless he could rest, but where, where could he rest, the cavern was large and relatively open. At the far end, it looked like there was another cave, but would the ceratosaurus be able to follow them. Amanda must be in as much pain as me, Silver Claw thought sadly. She must be ready to collapse by now.

Suddenly, the ceratosaurus lunged forward, missing the group by only a meter, but instead it hit a large stalagmite. The towering pillar of stone cracked and splintered at the point of impact before falling. It came crashing to the earth, separating Sophia from Silver Claw and Amanda. Sophia turned and ran away from the ceratosaurus. She headed towards the rocky path to the surface.

The ceratosaurus continued its pursuit of Silver Claw and Amanda.

They had to lose the ceratosaurus or it would catch them, Silver Claw thought. If they entered the cave on the other side, there was no way of knowing if it would prevent the ceratosaurus from following or even slow it down. Neither he nor Amanda could keep it up for much longer and the ceratosaurus probably knew it.

"Silver Claw!" Amanda said. Her voice was raspy and rough. "Head towards those." She pointed to a large group of closely positioned stalagmites that formed almost a wall.

Amanda and Silver Claw forced themselves harder to make it to the stalagmites. As they grew closer, the true size of the stone structures became more apparent, each stood about twenty to thirty meters high and had a meter diameter. The smooth, glossy sides, a light tan in color, had a ripple like appearance. Amanda brushed against one as she entered the enclosed area; loose silt clung to her cloths.

Amanda stopped against the wall of the cavern. She turned to see the gaping jaws of the ceratosaurus reaching for her and tried to scream but could not. She closed her eyes and hoped her death would be a quick one. The jaws clamped shut.

Amanda slowly opened her eyes after a moment to see the large teeth of the ceratosaurus only half a meter away from her face.

The ceratosaurus let out a deafening roar, causing rocks to fall from the wall and roof. Amanda gasped and covered her ears. With a heavy shove, the creature pushed forward, inching closer to Amanda. It roared again and snapped its jaws but missed Amanda.

Silver Claw stood horrified and exhausted, he was close to Amanda but he could not help. His injuries were to severe to do much more than get himself killed, if he did attack the ceratosaurus, he may harm it but it would surely be able to bite him but at least it maybe enough to give Amanda a chance to escape.

Suddenly the dinosaur let out a painful howl and pulled away from Amanda, a knife stuck out of its lower jaw just behind the bone at the front of the lower jaw. Warm blood splashed onto the ground, leaving a red trail as the creature retreated. With another roar, the ceratosaurus began to move off and into the distance, perhaps after Sophia. Amanda breathed in heavily and looked to Silver Claw.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Her breath came in raspy gasps.

"Yes," Silver Claw sighed and looked out at the ceratosaurus. "Look out Amanda!" Silver Claw jumped forward, pushing Amanda out of the way as the ceratosaurus burst through the stalagmites. Silver Claw roared as his impact against Amanda hit his ribs.

The ceratosaur's head hit the wall with a tremendous crash. The cavern wall shook and boulders fell from the ceiling.

"Run Silver Claw," Amanda gasped as she stagger to her feet and out of the stone pillars, heading towards the cave.

Silver Claw quickly followed Amanda. Behind them, the ceratosaurus pushed the rest of its body into the gap they were hiding in and slammed against the other stalagmites in order to free itself from the enclosed area. The towering pillars of stone fractured under the force. With a thunderous roar, the ceratosaurus broke free and pursued Amanda and Silver Claw.

Boulders fell from the roof as a large slab of stone overhanging the cave began to break free from the wall. Amanda and Silver Claw dodged the numerous falling rocks from the walls and ceiling as they rushed for the cave. Just as they entered, Amanda tripped and hit the ground, hard.

"Amanda!" Silver Claw shouted, stopping to check if she was all right. He nuzzled her head but she was out cold.

A loud thud sounded close by. Silver Claw slowly looked up to see the ceratosaurus a few meters away. It gave a low hiss and opened its mouth. Drool dripped from the razor sharp teeth and onto the stone ground below.

Silver Claw hissed back and raised his killing claws. His feathers stood on end and he prepared to attack the ceratosaurus. He was ready to do anything to protect Amanda. Just as the ceratosaurus charged forward, the overhanging section of stone gave way. The ceratosaurus dropped to the ground with a sickening crack, the slab of stone crushed its neck and a wall of dust washed through the cave.

Through the dust, Silver Claw could see a small beam of light shining in from a corner of the cave where the stone did not cover. He began to choke on the air. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

For several minutes, the air remained filled with dust, and then finally, as the dust cleared, it revealed the ceratosaur's head only a meter away from Amanda's feet. The predator's tongue lay limply out the left side of its mouth, the eyes closed, and a pool of blood was inching outward from the base of the stone slab.

Silver Claw got excited. Not that he was alive but because of the fresh blood. He found the smell intoxicating and inviting once more. His mouth began to drool and he felt hungry, very hungry. How could he not, it was not the blood of his mates that he smelled but that of a possible food source, and that made it right in his mind. He slowly approached the head, stepping in the pooling blood as he approached. He lowered his head to take a bite.

"Silver Claw?" A voice sounded from outside. "Silver Claw, where are you."

Silver Claw snapped back. "Sophia?"

"Silver Claw where are you," Sophia called out even louder, unaware Silver Claw answered her.

"In here," Silver Claw shouted.

A light clicking sounded on the slab of rock and the beam of light disappeared for a moment. "In here?"

"Yes Sophia," Silver Claw replied and turned to Amanda. The blood was getting closer to her and he did not want her smelling of it. He moved towards her, leaving a trail of bloody footprints.

"Are you alright?" Sophia asked.

"I am fine," Silver Claw said. He grabbed the collar of Amanda's shirt and pulled her away from the blood, to an area in the light.

The light disappeared slightly as Sophia looked in. "Is she dead?

"No, she hit her head." Silver Claw said, looking at Sophia. "She might be out for a bit."

"Oh, well, do you think you might be able to get out of their," questioned Sophia.

"Not unless that rock is moved." Silver Claw set down next to Amanda's head.

"That's not going to happen," Sophia said. "This thing crushed most of the ceratosaurus, only part of the tail is sticking out on this side."

"Maybe there is another way out of here?"

"For your sake, there had better be," Sophia said. "And for your sake, you also better hope you are alone in there."

"Yeah," Silver Claw sighed and looked down at Amanda. "I hope she isn't hurt."

"Why did you choose her for a mate?" Sophia questioned unexpectedly. "I mean, come on, she's human and you're a velociraptor. How could that possibly fit together and expect to last?"

Silver Claw snorted at Sophia's rudeness and was silent for a minute. "I…I don't know for certain why I chose her," Silver Claw finally admitted. "She was the first creature I found after the attack and we just kind of connected. She was scared of me at first but after a while…she learned to trust me and I her, we became close because of similar experiences."

Silver Claw gently nuzzled Amanda's head and placed it on his side by sliding his snout under it and moving his body under her. He licked her cheek but she did not stir. He whimpered softly and rubbed his snout against her head again.

"Oh," Sophia sighed and moved her head so that more of the light could enter the cave. "But I do not understand why."

"She and I were alone," Silver Claw said and looked toward where Sophia had been. "I think we connected because of that. But anyway, she loves me as much as I love her."

"She must truly care for you because she was determined to find you even after you attacked her." Sophia said.

Silver Claw changed the subject slightly. "What happened after I left?"

"You were lucky you were not their." Sophia snarled. "The humans used something on me that put me to sleep and when I woke, I was in a cage."

Silver Claw chuckled slightly, a series of quick repeating growls. "I would have liked to see that, you must have been mad."

"I was furious! If it were not for Loki being there, I would probably have attacked one of them one Amanda let me out." Sophia said.

"Where is Loki anyway?"

"One of the females is taking care of him," Sophia said and explained what happened to his leg.

"Is he going to be alright?"

"I don't know." Sophia sighed. "What about you, how are your injuries?"

"I think I broke another rib when I fell on that slope into the streambed," Silver Claw said and looked to his chest. "Either that or the other ribs moved slightly."

"Oh Silver Claw…" Sophia whimpered sorrowfully. "Are you in any pain?"

"Not much right now," Silver Claw said and licked Amanda's cheek again.

"You should try to keep off your feet until they are healed or else you could end up unable to hunt or worse." Sophia whimpered. "I don't want to see you like that."

"I know Sophia," Silver Claw said softly. "I would be an unfit mate for Amanda if that happened."

"I would not care if you were like hurt though…" Sophia stated in a low tone. "Maybe I should go. I am of no help here."

"No," Silver Claw protested. "I like talking with you Sophia."

"Yeah but seeing you with a human mate makes me uncomfortable," Sophia admitted. "It_ is_ so…unnatural."

"Why does it make you uncomfortable," Silver Claw asked.

"Well for one, what about hatchlings?" Sophia asked. "You must want children of your own someday, every raptor does."

"Yes, I do want children." Silver Claw sighed. "I knew that we could never have children before I asked Amanda to be my mate."

"Would she even want children if she could?" Sophia asked.

"I never brought it up but she has had dreams where she was like us," Silver Claw said with a smile. "We had children in those dreams so I imagine she would."

"But dreams are just that, dreams. They mean nothing and you know that. It is just your wishful thinking that they may be anything." Sophia said almost cruelly. "What if you where injured enough that you were unable to hunt? Could she bring you food?" Sophia questioned. "As well as say…I could."

"Probably, every time she has hunted, she has had success."

"Really?" Sophia said, shocked. "How could that be, how many times has she hunted?"

"Three," Silver Claw stated proudly. "She killed two gallimimus and an adult triceratops."

"Beginners luck," Sophia snorted, remembering her seven failures before her first catch and kill.

"Yeah ok," Silver Claw said, shaking his head. "She is a natural hunter."

"What about instincts?"

"I have never really seen her have trouble with hers," Silver Claw said, thinking it was an odd question.

"I mean you Silver Claw," Sophia said. "You're a hunter, not some friendly prey that gets along with everyone and everything."

"Well…there have been a few times that I slipped and nearly done something to her or couldn't think because of the fresh blood from a kill or either her or Ellie." Silver Claw admitted and lowered his head. "I can control them."

"Are you sure," Sophia said, almost brutally. "What if she were to disappear again?"

Silver Claw snarled and showed his teeth. "That is not what we are talking about!"

"Yes it is," Sophia said. "Those were your instincts at work and look what happened. I don't think she would forgive you twice."

"Sophia!" Silver Claw roared. "How dare you say that!"

"How dare you say that," Sophia mocked, sticking her head in the hole. "Well it is true whether you like it or not."

Silver Claw's head perked up. He remembered several other times she was like this and his mood changed from anger to curiosity. "You're jealous aren't you?"

"What," Sophia snarled. "I am not."

"Yes you are. I've seen you act like this before." Silver Claw said. "That is why you are mocking me."

"I have not acted like this before," Sophia said and turned her head away from the hole.

"You're blushing right now aren't you," Silver Claw grinned. "I caught you like your father did several times, now what are you jealous of?"

"I told you I am not jealous, and how dare you bring my father into this."

"Sophia…" Silver Claw said.

"I am not…" Sophia said stubbornly.

"Yes you are," Silver Claw said. "Admit it!"

"Fine, I'm jealous." Sophia snapped, "So what."

"Of what," Silver Claw asked politely.

"That is none of you're business, now is it."

"If you're mocking me then it is, and as long as you continue to act like this, it will remain to be."

"Of you and that human," Sophia admitted in a low tone.

"What?" Silver Claw said, only hearing her mumble.

"Of you and that…_human_," Sophia shouted at Silver Claw.

"You found someone to care and love for and have them care for you," Sophia said. "I…I have nothing and no one, you were the only one I have ever had any real feeling for and as long as your human mate is alive, I will not have you to be with."

"Oh Sophia," Silver Claw said in a low voice. "I am sure you will find someone that will make you as happy as I could have, probably even more."

"I should go…" Sophia whimpered and jumped off the rock.

"No wait Sophia!" Silver Claw said but she was gone. In the distance, he could hear her claws clicking against the stone as she probably was climbing the rocky path to the surface.

Before long, the sound was gone and the area became quiet. A gentle breeze snaked through the tunnel towards him and moved the feathers on his head slightly.

At least the cave goes somewhere, Silver Claw thought. "Amanda," he said softly to her ear. "Please wake up my Amanda."

She stirred slightly but her eyes remained closed. Silver Claw tenderly licked her cheek and Amanda moaned. Slowly, her eyes opened.

"Silver Claw," she questioned softly, her voice dry and rough.

"Hello Amanda." Silver Claw smiled.

"What happened?" Amanda groaned and slowly reached for her head. She felt a small bump on her forehead.

"You tripped and hit your head," Silver Claw replied.

"Oh," she moaned, "And what about the ceratosaurus, is it gone?"

"Dead," Silver Claw said. "A rock fell on it."

"What about Sophia?"

"She ran off," Silver Claw said, "I think she wants to be alone for a while."

"I'm happy to see you."

"I am happy to see you as well Amanda," Silver Claw said softly. "I thought I may have killed you." His feathers dropped.

"Forget about it," Amanda said and reached for his head with her right hand. She gently pushed his feathers up. "I want to see you happy."

"How did I end up with a mate like you," Silver Claw chuckled.

"Good luck, I guess." Amanda replied.

"I was wondering, why did you say yes when I asked you?" Silver Claw questioned.

"You were talking with Sophia, weren't you?" Amanda questioned suspiciously.

"Yes," Silver Claw confessed. "She got me thinking of several things."

"You should know that she is jealous of us," Amanda stated.

"I know. I caught her acting like she normal does when she is." Silver Claw replied. "That is why she ran off."

"Well, I said yes because…" Amanda said, trying to remember. "Because you are kind to me and protect me, because you care for me as much as my family did, and because I love you." Amanda laughed slightly. "My father would freak if he saw my husband was a velociraptor, it would be hard just to calm him down, let alone explain my reasons."

"It is too bad that he could not be here to see you," Silver Claw said and nuzzled her cheek. "I think he might accept it."

"You don't know my father," Amanda laughed. "He might pass out when I tell him, then who knows what."

"When you…tell him?" Silver Claw asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, he and some others in my family did survive." Amanda said. "I don't know how but I saw my father on the mainland." Her voice changed to a low saddened tone. "I left him to come here and be with you. My father said he wanted this island destroyed before I left."

"How did you get here," Silver Claw asked. "And what do you mean when you say that he wanted to destroy the island."

"He literally wants this place destroyed, every last creature destroyed." Amanda said, almost in tears. "I could never let him do that, and I could never bring you away from here so he could do that."

"Well, maybe if all of Jack and Sara's pack was moved as well, we could." Silver Claw said. "It would be nice to see your home."

"They would put you in a cage and experiment on you, Silver Claw." Amanda said. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened."

"I would hate that," Silver Claw said and licked the tear from Amanda's cheek. "I'm sure as long as you're here, he won't do anything."

"No, but he will attempt to find me first." Amanda stated and started to cry.

"Please don't cry my love," Silver Claw said softly and rubbed his head against her cheek, purring loudly. "I don't like to see you like this."

Amanda brushed away her tears and smiled at him. "You sound like a cat when you purr."

"I sound like a what?" Silver Claw questioned, unsure of what a cat was.

"A cat, it is an animal with fur, long tail, pointed ears and it hunts mice, well at least the pet cats do." Amanda said. "They purr when they are happy, like when you pet them."

"Oh, and a pet is?" Silver Claw questioned.

"I though I told you," Amanda said.

"If you did, I have forgotten," Silver Claw admitted.

"Ok, a pet is an animal people keep because they are fun to have around or they keep you company." Amanda replied. "For example, I have a dog back home."

"Am I your…pet," Silver Claw questioned in a serious tone.

Amanda began to laugh. "No Silver Claw, you are not my pet." Amanda gently rubbed his head. "You are my husband, or mate, which ever you want to use. Pets aren't mates with their owners but really close friends."

"Ok," Silver Claw said content with her answer. "How are you feeling?"

"Stiff and sore," Amanda replied. "My head hurts and I'm hungry."

"I don't know what to do with the soreness but the head of the ceratosaurus might take away the hunger." Silver Claw suggested.

"I can't be eating too much raw meat Silver Claw," Amanda said. "It made me sick and when I was on the main land, they gave me some things to get rid of the infection because of the bacteria on the raw meat."

"Oh, so you need to…cook it, if I remembered the right word."

"Yes, I hope you won't mind the smell when I do." Amanda said. "First I have to get Sarah to teach me how to start a fire though."

"Who is Sarah?"

"She is the one who help me get here." Amanda replied. "She studies animals and is helping Loki with his leg."

"Yes, I know about Loki's leg." Silver Claw sighed and nodded his head. "What else has she taught you or is going to?"

"She showed me several edible plants," Amanda answered.

"Plants are disgusting," Silver Claw stated clearly. "How can you eat them?"

"You are a carnivore, I am an omnivore," Amanda said with a smile. "I can eat both plants and meat."

"Oh, I was wondering why you ate those things off the bushes back in the old building." Silver Claw said.

Amanda smiled and scratched under Silver Claw's chin. "Do you think we should get going now?"

"Yeah, it might be getting dark soon." Silver Claw said, "And we do not want to get stuck in a one way cave during the night."

"That's for sure." Amanda groaned as she slowly stood up. "I'm going to be sore tomorrow."

"Me too," Silver Claw slowly stood up and looked the ceratosaur's head. "Do you mind if I have a bite to eat?"

"Go ahead," Amanda rolled her eyes. "Just hurry up, ok."

He nodded his head in response and quickly moved the ceratosaurus. Silver Claw quickly devoured what little meat he could pull off the skull. Within a few moments, Silver Claw had his fill and began to move off, leaving another trail of bloody footsteps behind.

"It might get really dark," Silver Claw warned. "Stay close to me, ok."

Amanda placed her hand on his back. "There, now you won't wander off on me."

Silver Claw only shook his head, giving a slight chuckle. For several minutes, the two of them moved forward at a quick pace until the light became so little that Amanda could no longer see and Silver Claw had trouble avoiding objects. The darkness surrounded them, only light breezes lead the way.

For over an hour, they traversed the winding cave, then not far away, a dim glow lit the cave, though it was not enough to be daylight. As they rounded the corned, Amanda stopped in amazement. The walls of the cave glowed in a light blue hue. By the looks of it, something coated the walls. An area of wall, cracked and open, let a small stream of water trickle down to the ground.

"Wow," Amanda said as she stared at the walls. "What do you think that stuff if?"

Silver Claw stared at it for a while before answering. "I don't know but I don't think we should touch it."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Amanda sighed. "I wonder where that water is coming from."

"Maybe we are under a stream or a river," Silver Claw said.

"Maybe, there was a small river near the trailers."

"Well, let's get going." Silver Claw stated. "I won't to be here, at least not under this area of cave. What if it collapsed on us?"

"What are you nervous about?" Amanda asked.

"I don't like being under ground and really don't like the fact that water is coming in here."

"Why?" Amanda questioned. "You seem almost scared of it."

"Well as a raptor, I am not supposed to admit to these things but you are my mate and I should tell you." Silver Claw said and looked down. "Please don't tell anyone."

"What is it?" Amanda asked in a sweet soft tone.

Silver Claw looked at her face. It was color in a light blue glow. Silver Claw lowered his feathers.

"I am afraid of two things, drowning and being buried alive." Silver Claw said in a low soft tone.

"Why?" Amanda asked softly.

Silver Claw looked away before answering. "I don't like deep water because if you go under and can't get up, you breathe in and die." Amanda felt a chill run through Silver Claw. "Same with buried alive, but you are crushed as well. I am fine near the entrance because I can escape but beyond about thirty meters…"

"Ok, we'll get out of here soon and I will never ask you to go in a cave or swimming again." Amanda said softly. "You know I am afraid of things as well."

"You can ask me to go swimming, as long as we are near shore." Silver Claw replied. "And I know you are afraid of some things, you told me some of them before."

"Oh yeah," Amanda said and stroked his head. "Let's go, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"Ok."

They passed back into the darkness. For several more hours, they followed the cave. Silver Claw occasionally hit the wall while Amanda stepped in pools of icy water. Then at last, the two of them rounded a corner and in the distance, a dim light.

"I think we're there," Amanda said happily. "It looked like we might have gone across the island before we got out."

"Yeah," Silver Claw sighed.

Suddenly, a massive crackle shook the cave. Amanda and Silver Claw raced to the entrance and stopped. Outside, black clouds covered the sky, a heavy rain soaked the island in a torrential downpour, and lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the ocean a few meters away from the cave. Massive waves crashed against the shore, soaking Amanda. The sea was a torrent of waves and foam, the swells were at least fifteen meters high and the wind forced them towards shore. Another wave shook the ground as it battered the shoreline.

"What…should…we…do?" Amanda shouted over the crash of waves.

Silver Claw looked around and then he noticed a large valley like shape in the rock down the shore. "Follow Me!"

Slowly, they moved down the coast. The ground was solid rock under their feet, slippery and smooth. Amanda stayed close to the cliff to ensure that the wind and water did not sweep her off her feet and into the sea. Silver Claw stood between Amanda and the coastline, the constant crash of waves was beginning to take its toll on him. The icy seawater was chilling his body until he shivered and the wind only made it worse.

"Silver Claw, are you ok?" Amanda shouted over the wave and thunder.

"Just hurry," Silver Claw replied. His body trembled.

They finally rounded the base of the valley shape and found a long slope to the forest above. Short grasses and shrubs covered the windswept slope.

The cold was beginning to take its hold on Amanda as well because she shook with tremors. Her wet clothing was as cold as the rain that continued to beat against it. Both Amanda and Silver Claw slowly looked to each other.

"Can we do it?" Amanda asked. Her lips were turning a light blue.

"We have to try." With that, Silver Claw began the ascent.

Amanda quickly followed Silver Claw up the steep slope. The soil turned to loose stone, as they grew closer to the top, thorny weeds snaked their way throughout the grass and along the path Amanda and Silver Claw were climbing. Amanda dropped to her hands and knees when the wind gusted heavily against the slope and she dared not to straighten herself. Silver Claw's body trembled but he managed to keep his footing.

"Don't worry Silver Claw," Amanda shouted over the rain and wind that pelted her body as well as the slope. "We're almost there!"

Silver Claw trembled. His legs felt like weights anchored him to the ground. He knew that if a carnivore found them once at the top, he would not escape. A massive crack of thunder caused him to flinch. The sound echoed in his ears and caused him a great deal of pain. He closed his eyes and surged forward.

Suddenly, he reached forward and only found open space. His body collapsed and he fell into a puddle of mud. A faint voice sounded nearby and he slowly opened his eyes just in time to see Amanda wrap her arms around him.

"Silver Claw," he heard faintly. "We… it, we made it, we made it to the top."

Silver Claw smiled and slowly lifted his neck to look around. They made it, he thought as he looked at the surrounding jungle. It was dark, the jungle echoed with the sound of falling rain and blowing wind, but for now, it seemed they were alone.

"Yes we did," Silver Claw replied to Amanda. "Could you help me up please?"

"Sure," Amanda smile and gently placed her hands under his stomach and pulled up. After several tiresome tries, Silver Claw stood on his own feet and shook off the mud.

"Let's find somewhere to rest, I'm cold." Silver Claw said. "I'm sure you're colder than me though."

"Yes," Amanda said. Droplets of rain streaked her face and her hair clung tightly to her skin. Her lips were pale blue and she had a slight tremble.

Amanda and Silver Claw quickly, or at least as fast as they could, moved into the jungle. The rain became lighter as it ran down the trunks of the trees rather that off the drooping leaves. They passed deeper into the jungle and soon found themselves surrounded by towering pines.

"What do you think we should do," Amanda said. "It doesn't look like were going to find a good spot to stay."

"One moment," Silver Claw said and raised his head, sniffing the air. "Follow me."

Silver Claw slowly wandered through the trees. The thick branches above sheltered them from most of the rain and wind. Silver Claw stopped suddenly and sniffed a bush.

"What are you doing Silver Claw," Amanda questioned. "I'm freezing."

"Be careful when you come in, it has thorns." Silver Claw said and slowly disappeared into the bush.

"Silver Claw," Amanda said, confused. She slowly pushed into the bush and found herself face to snout with Silver Claw. "Why did you come in here?"

"Do you feel rain?"

"Well no but…" Amanda started and looked up. The bush was spacious and dome shaped. The ground was dry and in the center, a long stem rose up. "This will do, how did you find it?"

"The smell, I recognized it from my old home." Silver Claw exclaimed. "It was a little hard to find in the rain but…here it is."

"I wish we would have got out of that cave sooner, I can't stay in these cloths now."

"Why not," Silver Claw asked while he laid himself next to the stem.

"I can't sleep in wet clothing." Amanda said, "I'll freeze"

"Oh," Silver Claw said and looked to his side. "If you like, you can sleep against my side if you like. I think I can keep you warm."

Amanda sat next to Silver Claw and cleaned the remaining mud from his side. Amanda shivered slightly. She rubbed her hands together and blew into them.

She placed the back of her right hand against Silver Claw's side. "How did you warm up so fast?"

"I don't know." Silver Claw answered. "It just happens."

"Well, this will help a lot." Amanda pulled off her shirt and hung it on a low hanging branch off to the side.

"Wait Amanda, could you stand over to the side for a moment." Silver Claw said. Once Amanda was out of the way, he stood up and started digging a small grove in the dirt. Once he was done, Silver Claw piled leaves and dirt around the outside until he constructed a crude nest. "There, now we can have a nest."

Amanda smiled. "Silver Claw, would you look away for a moment?"

Silver Claw tilted his head.

Amanda rolled eyes and sighed. "I want to get out of my pants."

"So?" Silver Claw questioned.

"Why do you ignore me when I ask you to look away," Amanda asked.

"Why do you feel uncomfortable to change in front of me?"

"I don't know, I think it was because it was what I used to do."

"Well, if it makes you uncomfortable," Silver Claw said and turned his head away.

Amanda pulled the wet pants off her legs and hung them on the tree. A small thud made Amanda look down at a blue stone. Amanda smiled and picked it up. She laid herself in the nest and set the stone on her stomach.

"Silver Claw, you can lay down now." Amanda said and tilted her head to see him standing over her.

"You have the stone with you?"

"Yes," Amanda grinned. "I forgot about it in my pocket."

"Well, it's nice you have it." Silver Claw curled around Amanda, placing his neck under her head.

"What do you think about all this?"

"All of what?"

"Us, being away from our pack, our life together," Amanda sighed sleepily as she looked at the leafy dome. She yawned.

"It feels different being with you rather than another velociraptor, I feel more comfortable around you than say…Sara or Sophia." Silver Claw nuzzled the top of Amanda's shoulder. "Personally, I like being alone with you. It gives me more time to get to know you better."

"If we could though, I would like to wander around this island to see the different places and maybe we could claim a territory of our own and start our own pack someday. Sure we cold not have children but it would be nice to lay claim to someplace." Silver Claw sighed. "You know, this has been nice to be alone with you and just talk about things we happen to think about. What do you think Amanda?"

Amanda remained unmoved and quiet.

"Amanda?" Silver Claw questioned and lifted his so he could see her eyes. She was asleep. He smiled slightly and licked her cheek. "Good night my mate."

Silver Claw gave the air one final test and slowly closed his eyes. A single thought crossed his mind. He was with his mate, and they were alive…


	23. Revelations

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 23: Revelations

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

* * *

Amanda suddenly woke. A cold sweat drenched her body and a chill ran down her spin. Her stomach felt sore and her muscles ached. 

The air around her was dry and cold. Distant sounds from the canopy above told that it was still raining. Crickets and frogs filler the air with a chorus of chirping and croaks while the steady beat of rain acted like drums in the night.

Groggy and sore, Amanda slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes with her thumb and index fingers. Her entire body shook as another chill ran down her spine. It was dark and hard to see anything beyond about a foot in front of her face because the bush blocked out any light that may be reaching the forest floor, if there was any that got through the rain clouds.

Amanda nearly jumped when a warm, putrid breath wash over her shoulder and rustled her hair. Then she remembered that she was on Isla Sorna with Silver Claw.

The smell of his breath was something she was used to and did not bother her anymore, it was just the smell that surrounded a carnivore like Silver Claw, it was however, a little hard to adjust to the nesting grounds for the first few days during his recovery. Amanda sighed. She was sure that hers must be close to Silver Claw's after months of eating raw meat and candy bars but no one mentioned it to her but she knew it must be bad.

Amanda smiled, "hello Silver Claw."

"Did you hear it as well?" Silver Claw said softly by her ear. He rested his head on her shoulder softly and purred.

"Heard what," Amanda questioned and leaned her head gently against his rough snout.

"A loud bang," Silver Claw said in almost a dreamy voice. It was obvious he was still half-asleep. "It was somewhere in the distance."

"Thunder?"

"No, it sounded more like…the crash when the walkway fell after I chased you." A grinned formed along his snout and Amanda knew it. "But, it seemed a lot louder and there was a second one afterwards."

"Maybe some trees fell," Amanda sighed and gently rubbed her head against his in an effort to get comfortable against his scaly hide. Her eyes slowly closed, heavy with sleep, and she started to doze off. "It is storming out and the winds must be pretty harsh near the coastline.

"No, I don't think so," Silver Claw said in more of his normal tone. "Do you remember when you shot that weapon at Tyrannous?"

Amanda grinned, "Yes I do, why?"

"It was kind of like the sound as the flare thing came out," Silver Claw said, "A kind of boom."

"Like an explosion?" Amanda asked, her eyes opened and she pulled away so that she could look him in at least one of his red eyes. Her heart pumped quicker. An explosion on Isla Sorna could not be good. An expression of worry crossed her face as she thought about what could cause an explosion. Amanda suddenly gasped, "The trailers!"

"What about them," Silver Claw questioned. He turned his head to see her with both eyes.

"They're probably the only thing that could make a sound like." Amanda exclaimed. "What if something happened?"

"Would you like to go and check then?"

"Yes," Amanda said. Worry filled her. "We should go just incase something happened and they're hurt."

"I should warn you that it is cold out there," Silver Claw rubbed against her body with his snout. "And you are already very cold."

"Don't worry about that, we have to get to the trailers," Amanda said and felt around in the darkness for her clothing, she found the stone that rolled off her when she sat up.

"Let me," Silver Claw said and stood up. "I can see where they are." He grabbed her clothing and put it gently onto her lap. "No, they're still cold," Silver Claw commented and set down next to her.

A chill ran through Amanda's spine as the cold wet clothing hit her legs. It felt like pin pricks on her skin. She placed the stone off to the side of the roughly composed nest and quickly slipped into her clothing. Chills ran down her back as the wet clothing clung to her skin. She pocketed the stone. She checked the knife and slid it, sheathed, into her pocket. It was uncomfortable and cold in the cloths and once they were closer to the trailer, it would only get worse because the trees opened up around there and the rain would only make her life miserable for some time.

Silver Claw sighed. "Are you sure you want to go find them now. It's dark out, cold," Silver Claw stressed the remainder of the sentence, "and there could be other carnivores out their besides us. I don't think I can protect you if we got into trouble and if we ran into the tyrannosaur that would make things worse."

"Tyrannosaur," Amanda said worriedly.

"I think I may have heard one earlier," Silver Claw said. "Are you sure that you want to go there now?"

"I'll be fine. We have to check incase something happened." Amanda yawned. "Even if a tyrannosaurus is near there, the trailers should be safe enough to hide in. Plus, I can get some warm clothing while we're there."

"Ok fine," Silver Claw sighed reluctantly. "Would you like me to carry you there? It would be faster for us to reach the trailers if you were on my back, and I could run with you."

"What about your injuries?"

"My chest and legs are not bothering me right now," Silver Claw said. "Also you're tired and must be sore from the walking and climbing earlier."

A smile formed on Amanda face. "Sure, as long as you can carry me that long."

"I'm sure," Silver Claw remarked. "I wouldn't have mentioned it if I wasn't." Amanda started to stand up and Silver Claw quickly grabbed her shirt to stop her. "Amanda, before I forget, I need to talk to you about something later, ok?"

"Sure," Amanda said, "What is it about?"

"You brought up something last night and then fell asleep while I was talking to you about what I thought about it." Silver Claw said and nuzzled her shoulder. "How's your neck feeling?"

"Better, it think the bandage could come off soon, they were pretty much scratches anyway."

"That's good, alright let's go." Silver Claw sniffed the air and stood up. "I'll check if anything is outside first, stay here."

"Ok," Amanda sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest. "Please hurry."

Silver Claw nodded and stepped outside of the bush. The insects and frogs became quiet. About a minute passed, it was quiet, only a slight scrap against the bark of a tree sounded from outside the bush. Silver Claw stuck his head in the bush, "All clear," as soon as he said that, he pulled back out.

"What took you so long," Amanda asked and stood up. She stepped out of the bushes and found herself face to snout with Silver Claw. A snort from Silver Claw sent Amanda's hair behind her shoulders.

"I wanted to make sure it was safe, I think I may have heard a tyrannosaurus in the distance again." Silver Claw said and moved behind a large nearby tree, "Also, I found this hiding nearby." He tossed a microceratops to Amanda's feet. "I though you might be hungry."

Amanda bent down and picked up the limp figure of the animal. In a flash of lightning, she could distinguish the small frill and beak, long hind legs, short front legs and thin form. She gently placed her free hand on the neck to find a lethal bleeding gash from Silver Claw's killing claw.

"Why didn't I hear anything?" Amanda asked finally, she felt almost bad for the small creature for some reason. She wiped the blood from her fingers on her shirt.

"It was asleep when I found it," Silver Claw said and walked up to her. "Do you want it or are you not hungry?"

"I'm not really that hungry right now," Amanda said and held out the microceratops by the tail so that Silver Claw could grab it. He stomach felt weird and she did not want to upset it.

"Ok," Silver Claw tilted his head and took the creature. He back a few feet away from Amanda and dropped the limp form to the ground. Silver Claw placed one foot on the head and sank his teeth into the body.

Amanda cringed as the sound of snapping bones and the smell of blood, although faint, filled the air around her.

Why does it feel bad to have Silver Claw eat in front of me now? Amanda thought. I have hunted several times and I have gotten better at handling the feeling of killing something but now… Maybe being away from him and hunting so long has something to do with it…but then there was the herrerasaurus that attacked Sarah and I the other day…

"Silver Claw, can we go soon, I don't feel too well at the moment."

Silver Claw looked up from his tiny meal. Stringy pieces of flesh hung from his bloody jaws. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I just don't feel that great right now." Amanda looked away to a small opening in the canopy that allowed her to see the clouds. Another flash of lightning illuminated the area.

"Would you like to find somewhere safe and I can go and check if anything happened?"

"No, no, I'll come with you. Are you just about done?"

Silver Claw grabbed what meat was left of the kill and tossed his head back, swallowing the remaining scraps. "Ready," Silver Claw sighed and lowered himself so that Amanda could get on his back easily.

"Why didn't you finish the rest of it?" Amanda asked, "It's not like you to waste any food."

"I can't digest the rest," Silver Claw stated and tilted his head to the left.

"I've seen you swallow an entire compy," Amanda said. "What's wrong with this?"

"Compies have soft bones that I can digest," Silver Claw said and gestured towards the remains of the microceratops. "This creature however would make me ill to eat the rest, its bones are far too hard, and I had to break them just to get at the meat."

"Ooh," Amanda said.

"Well," Silver Claw started. "Are you going to stay here or not?"

"No," Amanda moved over to him. She gently placed her hands at the base of Silver Claw's neck and set herself in the middle of his back. Once she was on, Silver Claw stood up slowly and looked at Amanda.

"You have a good grip," he questioned and when she nodded, he darted forward.

Ferns and shrubs lashed Amanda as Silver Claw moved into a different part of the jungle. He swerved in and out of the massive trees as he passed into the depths of the jungle towards where he thought the sound came from and where the trailers may be. Within several minutes, the faint gurgle of a river sounded in the distance.

As the forest canopy opened, a sheet of rain soaked both Amanda and Silver Claw. The rhythmical pounding of rain against the leaves continued until the river drowned it out. Silver Claw began to slow his pass until it was a slow jog as the river grew closer. He stopped at wall of brush that surrounded what he believed to be the river. Cautiously, Silver Claw pushed his head through the foliage.

Amanda pushed on the base of his neck trying to see of the top of the brush but could not. "What is it Silver Claw?"

Amanda winced as Silver Claw brought the rest of his body through the brush and braches scratched her skin. "Warn me before you do that next time," Amanda said as she reached the other side of the bushes. She gasped at what she saw.

In front of them, the river that only a day ago had been slow and small was now a ragging torrent of white water that would sweep anyone who tried to cross it to the ocean, some distance away. Branches and debris bobbed in the water but quickly disappeared under by the pull of the current. Its size had grown considerably which only made it all the more dangerous.

"What are we going to do," Silver Claw looked to Amanda. "There is no way I could jump it even by myself."

"Maybe it narrows enough down stream that you could jump across and maybe…" Amanda looked around for possible way for her to get across, then she notice large overhanging branches. "I could climb the trees and cross using the branches."

"What if I fell in?" Amanda felt a shiver run through Silver Claw.

"Well, upstream should be shallow enough that we could still walk across, I know my way to the trailers from there," Amanda said and gently rubbed Silver Claw's head to calm him down.

"Was it deep there?" Silver Claw questioned and turned his head to see Amanda.

"No, it didn't pass my ankles even," Amanda replied and straightened her back. "This river was not like this yesterday though."

"Well we could…" A low rumble shook the earth followed by a low groan in the ground below.

"What was that?"

Silver Claw nervously shifted as he scanned the surrounding area. Suddenly a thunderous crash sounded from below the river. A massive bubble of air burst on the surface sending water everywhere. Silver Claw quickly back away as the water level dropped in the center of the river to form a small whirlpool. The water rushed into the ground and from within the water, a faint but visible blue glow for a brief moment became visible, but washed away within seconds. The ground beneath the river crumbled until it had widened the rift, consuming the entire width of the river. The water rushed downward into the darkness of the cave in a brilliant wall of white foaming water.

"That was the cave we were in," Amanda remarked.

"See," Silver Claw stated, "That is one reason I do not like being underground."

"Yes, I know," Amanda sighed and glanced down the river towards the ocean. "We can cross now."

"What," Silver Claw said and followed her gaze to the muddy riverbed now exposed because of the opening into the cave. Several large boulder and rocks lay scattered about the bottom along with branches and driftwood.

Amanda quickly hopped off Silver Claw and walked towards the riverbed.

"Where are you going," Silver Claw questioned as he continued watching the rushing water in front of him.

"Crossing," Amanda jumped onto a large rock sitting in the mud near the bank and then to another. "I don't want to get stuck and you may," she paused to jump to the next one, "be able to jump most of the way across, just try not to get stuck when you land." Amanda jumped twice more and landed on the opposite bank. "Come on Silver Claw, it's easy."

Silver Claw sniffed the air, "Tyrannosaurs!"

"What, where," Amanda questioned and spun around looking at the surrounding jungle.

Silver Claw could smell her growing fear.

"In the distance," Silver Claw sighed. "I can hear them walking away from this direction."

"Don't scare me like that, it though they were right behind me," Amanda almost yelled because the sound of the water became louder. "Now hurry up and cross before the water is forced back down the riverbed."

Silver Claw chuckled slightly and walked to the riverbed across from Amanda. He smiled. Silver Claw crouched low and then jumped. He reached the other side and crashed into the ground next to Amanda.

"Silver Claw," Amanda crouched next to him. She placed her hand on his back to feel him trembling. "Silver Claw, are you ok."

"No," Silver Claw wheezed. "I'm not."

"What happened?"

"My," Silver Claw winced as he staggered to his feet. "My chest," he wheezed again, "Just give me some time to recover."

"Why did you jump that far, you said you couldn't jump that far," Amanda started to sob. "Didn't you know you might hurt?"

"I didn't think I would hit the ground chest…," he whimpered, "first."

"Oh Silver Claw," Amanda sobbed and stood up. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Please don't do anything that could get you hurt anymore."

Silver Claw turned his head and looked at Amanda, "I can still walk so let's hurry, maybe this Sarah can help."

"Ok," Amanda released his neck and then brushed away her tears with the back of her hand. "Are you sure that you are ok."

Silver Claw only nodded his head.

Amanda moved into the jungle with Silver Claw close behind. For several minutes, they passed quietly through a large grove of ferns and cycads that surrounded massive trees that were far enough apart to allow most of the rain to fall through to the ground. Several fallen trees lay across their path, some with large growths of mushrooms. Amanda easily climbed over but Silver Claw had some difficulty because he did not want to jump and risk hurting his chest again.

Amanda sighed and looked at Silver Claw. I wonder what he wanted to talk about, Amanda asked herself. Is it about going home or…was it about something else. What did I ask him last night anyway? I cannot remember.

"Silver Claw," Amanda said as she pushed a low hanging branch away from her face and held it so that Silver Claw could pass without ducking. She followed behind him. "What did I ask you about last night?"

"You asked me what I thought about being away from our pack, us, and our life together," Silver Claw said and looked at her. "You don't remember asking me?"

"No," Amanda admitted. "I must have been really tired, sorry."

"That's ok," Silver Claw said and ducked to dodge a branch as they moved into a thicker part of the jungle with more heavily grown underbrush. "I didn't say too much."

"Could you tell me now," Amanda questioned. "We are…," she ducked under a branch, "alone, I think."

"Well I guess." Silver Claw sighed. "What would you think if we didn't go back to the pack?"

"I would want to know why you don't want to," Amanda replied.

"I was thinking maybe we could…start our own pack…just the two of us," Silver Claw raised his feathers. "It would be nice to have somewhere we could call home that did not have a pack order again, like we did in our old home until Tyrannous ruined it."

"What about Loki and Sophia?" Amanda asked. "Sophia is still your friend even if she wants to be your mate, and Loki has nowhere to go until he is allowed back to his pack."

"I never thought about that," Silver Claw admitted. "We could…bring them with us, there is an area near the top of this island where might stay."

"What's up there?"

"Not too much," Silver Claw said and carefully stepped over a small stone crevasse in the ground. "Most of the carnivores are near the island's center and so are the large herbivores that they hunt."

"So what are we supposed to eat?" Amanda asked. "It sounds like this place might be quiet and relaxing but what about a home."

"Do you have the map with you?" Silver Claw asked.

"No, it's gone." Amanda sighed tiredly. "It was with my other cloths on the mainland."

"Ok, well, I think I saw a building one time when you showed it to me and explained what everything was on the map."

"Well that could work, depending on what kind of building it was." Amanda admitted. "Our own pack, our own building and our own territory, I think that is a good idea Silver Claw."

Silver Claw purred softly. "You think so?"

"As long as there are cloths for me there, I think it would be perfect for us." Amanda said. "But what if another pack lives there, one that does not take a liking to humans in their territory?"

"There were only five packs on the island, or so my father told me." Silver Claw replied. "Two of my kind, two of the browns, and one of the green, the greens are dead, and one of the browns live near the south of the island, maybe the other browns joined to make one pack."

"Are you sure the greens are all dead, what about Tyrannous?" Amanda questioned.

"I don't think he's alive anymore," Silver Claw said. "The pack of browns we ran into that Sophia was in, surrounded him after we were leaving. I couldn't tell if he was killed by him or not."

"What do you mean by browns anyway?" Amanda asked and moved to the right of Silver Claw to avoid a cluster of trees.

"Browns are the color of that type of velociraptor females," Silver Claw said. "The males are however an orange with back stripes."

"Like a tiger," Amanda commented with a slight laugh. "How can they blend in with the environment?"

"They hunt in very tall grasses, usually about chest height on you." Silver Claw purred again. "What's a tiger?"

"A type of cat," Amanda said.

"And a cat is…?" Silver Claw leaned playfully against Amanda but not enough to push her too far.

"Never mind," Amanda said and pushed Silver Claw.

Silver Claw nipped at her sleeve but Amanda pulled it away before he could grab it. Amanda laughed and kissed him on the scales under his eye. Silver Claw purred.

"Amanda," he said softly. "You want to go to the trailers but you don't seem in too much of a hurry."

"Are you complaining about it?" Amanda asked softly.

"No," Silver Claw said and lowered his head. "I was just wondering why?"

"I'm sure they're fine," Amanda said. "You haven't said anything about the tyrannosaurs recently and there have been no other explosions or bangs…so I just though we could take our time and have a little bit of fun for a change, any objections?"

"No," Silver Claw said and raised his feathers. "I hope my chest gets better soon so we can play that predator game I told you about."

"I could easily win if you were after me," grinned Amanda.

"How," Silver Claw could only ask.

"You can't climb trees," Amanda said.

"And you can't stay in them," Silver Claw added and let out a short repeating chirp.

Amanda turned red and she pushed on his head. "Are you ever going to let me forget it?"

"No," Silver Claw purred and pushed against her hand. "Along with that," Silver Claw moved around her hand and next to her ear, "tattoo."

Amanda's face glowed red with embarrassment, "You're lucky that you injured Silver Claw or else I'd have you on the ground so fast right now, even you would be surprised."

"I doubt that," he taunted. He stopped and sniffed the air.

"What is it?" Amanda asked and looked around at the darkness.

"I smell something," Silver Claw said. "It's very strong but it is far away, it's a terrible smell."

"What does it smell like," Amanda said and sniffed the air, but she knew she could not smell even close to as well as Silver Claw.

"I…I don't know," Silver Claw stated, "It's musty, I don't like it."

"It's a little hard to tell you what it is, when I cannot smell it," Amanda said and stretched her arms above her head.

"There is another smell…humans…several of them if I am not mistaken." Silver Claw raised his head even higher and sniffed again, "At least…twenty…maybe more."

"Twenty," Amanda said confused. "There are only five at the trailers, are you sure?"

"Positive," Silver Claw said, "And by the smells of it, mostly males."

"Where would they have come from?" Amanda questioned.

"I don't know," Silver Claw said.

"I was just talking to myself," Amanda said. "Maybe there were more to Sarah's group."

"Do you want to check it out still," Silver Claw said, a little on edge and it showed in his posture.

"You're nervous," Amanda pointed out.

"Well, I may not have been accepted to well after what happened and if there are more humans…" Silver Claw paused for a moment. "Well, the only good experiences I have had with humans are with you and Ellie."

"Don't worry," Amanda said. "You only need to have me around anyway."

"So you don't want other humans around with us?"

"Well I like to have another human around to talk to," Amanda said. "It's just…well…I don't want another person like Lance to show up and ruin our happiness like he almost did."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Silver Claw said and looked to his scared leg and then back to Amanda. "What about other raptors?"

"Well it depends on if they're nice to me," Amanda said and started to walk in the directions of the trailers.

Silver Claw followed next to her. "Was Sophia nice to you before you found me?"

"Kind of," Amanda said. "She did attack me but I talked to her and that's when I found out she wanted you."

"Oh," Silver Claw said surprised. "Did she hurt you at all?"

"No, she just knocked me to the ground and held me there," Amanda sighed.

"Stop," Silver Claw said.

Amanda looked around. In front of them a large tree laid across the ground, the dark surrounding jungle was eerily quiet, and the rain stopped. Then, in the distance, a faint sound that seemed like arguing men echoed through the jungle.

"Did you hear that?" Amanda said.

Silver Claw only tilted his head and looked at her.

"Oh yeah," Amanda gave a humorless laugh. "Let's check it out."

"Ok," Silver Claw said. "But we stay in the jungle until we are sure it is safe for us."

Amanda agreed with him and climber over the log. Once she jumped to the ground, Amanda jogged through the jungle towards the group. She kept her eye on the ground in a hope to avoid any roots that stuck above ground. Silver Claw trotted closely behind her. An icy breeze suddenly swept through the jungle and chilled Amanda's already cold body.

Voices grew louder as Amanda and Silver Claw got closer to the clearing. The deep rumble of the ocean waves at the base of the cliff grew louder. The area became brighter from what seemed to be numerous lights. The jungle began to spread out and the underbrush grew thinner.

Amanda stopped and moved behind a bush. When Silver Claw was out of sight of the clearing and next to her, Amanda said, "I think this is as far as we can go."

Silver Claw lifted his head to look over the bush and quickly ducked down again. "Yeah, I think you're right. There are a lot of humans out there, but no trailers."

"What?" Amanda questioned. "Where would they have gone?"

"I think I saw the young girl," Silver Claw said. "It was hard to tell though. She had a blanket over her."

A twig snapped behind them. Amanda whipped around to see a white velociraptor step out of the bushes behind them, the killing claws extended and teeth showing. Silver Claw turned his head.

"Hello Sophia," Amanda said.

"Hello," Sophia said and eased her posture to a less aggressive one. She looked to Silver Claw. "I thought you two were part of the human group out there. By the way, the trailers are gone."

"What do you mean gone," Amanda questioned.

"Two tyrannosaurs destroyed them," Sophia said. "Those stupid humans brought an infant tyrannosaur back here and the parents followed."

"Where's Loki," Silver Claw looked around. "I do not smell him around."

"He was shot," Sophia said. "They have his body in the clearing, from what I have heard, they want to take him back to somewhere alive."

"But you said he was shot," Silver Claw said.

"Maybe it was a tranquilizer," Amanda said. "It puts the creature it hits to sleep."

Sophia laid herself next to Silver Claw but away from Amanda. "What are we going to do?"

Silver Claw looked at Amanda.

"I could go and talk to them," Amanda said. "Did you hear who these other people work for?"

"Loki told me," Sophia said. "He said they are the ones who created the animals on this island."

"Ingen, but Sarah said that she was hired by John Hammond to do some research here," Amanda said, "Why would he send two groups?"

"I don't know," Sophia said. "Loki said they arrived by some kind of flying machines that carried the vehicles."

"Helicopters most likely," Silver Claw said and looked at Amanda.

"Yeah probably, did Loki tell you what they were doing up until now?"

Sophia snorted. "Yes, he said that they were capturing the animals and putting them in cages, that was until Nick, Sarah, and Loki set them free."

"Oh," Silver Claw said. "Where is the other place where these other humans were?"

"You could have asked that question better," Sophia commented, "but I don't know, by the time he said that, the tyrannosaurs were gone and he went to check on the rope that Ed…Eddie put in the trailer before they fell, to see if anyone survived and that was when he was shot."

"Ok," Amanda said. "It looks like everyone is leaving. I'm going to go talk to them."

"Be careful my mate," Silver Claw said and licked her cheek. "If you need help, just call me."

"Ok," Amanda said and stood up. She walked around the bush and towards the departing group.

Sophia sighed. "All these people are trapped," Sophia said. "Both places were destroyed."

"So," Silver Claw said. "I'm sure that they will be able to care for themselves."

"Who said they could not be our prey," Sophia replied.

"Sophia!" Silver Claw snapped. "Amanda and I decided to claim a territory for ourselves in the empty part of the island. She said we should still have you around but now I am having second thoughts. You are my friend and always will be, but your choices are starting to worry me."

"No, it's yours," Sophia railed. "You've gone soft because of Amanda. You would have easily killed every one of them if you had the chance before you met her."

"How do you know what I would have done," Silver Claw hissed angrily.

In a soft tone, Sophia said. "Because I know you, or at least I did."

"Hey wait up!" Amanda called out.

Silver Claw's eyes widened. She had called it out in raptor. To the humans it would have sounded like a loud growl and two short but loud chirps.

"Amanda, wait!" Silver Claw said and jumped to his feet. He saw her disappearing into a bush at the clearing.

"Hey wait for me." She said again.

"No, Amanda you're speaking in…"

A loud gunshot rang through the air followed by a thud and a splash…

* * *

Author Note: As usual, any suggestions you have to improve my writing are welcome. For those who do not know, I have updated my Reign of Fire story and am hoping that someone might review. As well, I have posted the prequel to this one, Jurassic Park The Beginning. Thank you for Reading. Please Review. 


	24. The Parting of the Ways

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 24: The Parting of the Ways

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

Author Note: I would like to know whether you think I should make the chapters shorter for the time being. Shorter chapters should mean faster updates probably but not as much detail to the story as a whole. Where as, if I keep them long it will be about once a week updates except when I am out of school for more than the weekend, partially because I have started playing video games like Stargate Empire at War and other modifications to my computer games. Please Review.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw's eyes opened at the sound of the gunshot. His heart skipped a beat and then went into overtime as a thud and then a splash sounded through the air. Pain festered in his chest, not from the broken bones but that from anxiety…and rage, and a crippling fear that Amanda may die.

His body trembled at the thought of Amanda dying. He just found her again, she cannot die, Silver Claw thought. This could not happen. It just could not. Amanda, please be alive.

"Amanda," he whimpered. His breathing became quicker as his anger grew. "Amanda."

The sound of footsteps approaching where she had fallen quickly became louder. The same rage that caused him to attack Amanda burst out of its suppressive state and filled him. He charged from hiding and towards the bush Amanda had gone though to reach the group. He cleared distance in a matter of seconds and leapt into the air. He cleared the bush and opened his mouth. With a screech, he came down on the first thing in his path, a man dressed in a shirt with its sleeves rolled up to the elbow, shorts, and a hat that had two string the connected under his chin so that it would not fall off easily.

With the force of the collision, both hit the ground in a tremendous crash that sent water and mud spraying everywhere and onto the surrounding people. Silver Claw showed his teeth but suddenly roared in pain as a crippling wave shot through his body and caused him to topple over to the mud next to the man he attacked. Nothing hit him but his chest burned and his body ached. He was dizzy, his mind cloudy, his muscles limp, and his breath labored.

"Amanda," Silver Claw whimpered as his vision flickered. "Amanda."

The man scrambled to his feet and readied his rifle, aiming it a Silver Claw's neck. He placed his finger on the trigger. His stare was as diggers aimed at Silver Claw, almost cruel and hateful.

"No!" A female voice screamed.

Silver Claw's vision went blurry all of a sudden. He could only see shades and blotches of color. A woman or at least it looked like one, jumped at the man, hitting him as well as his rifle. A shot rang through the air. Amanda, Silver Claw thought as everything quickly faded to black and everything became quiet.

"Silver Claw" a mournful voice called out through the quiet darkness.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Silver Claw felt sick. His eyes were heavy and refused to open. The ground below him was hard and cold, not earth or stone but concrete. Silver Claw craned his neck and forced his eyes open._

_His vision was blurry at first but it quickly became clear. He was in a building, a large one. Machines and tanks surrounded him. The air was humid and stale with a faint fragrance of something rotting in the distance. A crack quickly caught Silver Claw's attention._

_He turned his head to see a rodent scurry across the floor of the room and towards a door at the far end. The instinct to chase was too great. Silver Claw scrambled to his feet and chased the animal. He weaved in an out of the machines. A machine stuck out in particular, a large tank with the inscription "_Nanotechnology version 10_." _

_He did not know why it did. They saw it in the lab on the way back to the cave. What could it mean though? Did it even mean anything? Then there were the dreams Amanda had, she said that I told her she fell into a tank of something and she became a velociraptor. It this was the stuff then…just maybe…she could become a velociraptor. However, what if she liked being human, I could never force her to do something against her will..._

_The rodent was close. It stopped just before the door and Silver Claw lunged._

_His head hit something hard and his vision became starred. When his eyes cleared, he saw that he was no longer in the building but outside, on a metal pathway overhanging a cliff. Suddenly, a door behind him flew open and Amanda came running out._

"_Amanda?" Silver Claw said._

_Amanda slammed the door shut and ran through Silver Claw towards the end of the pathway. Silver Claw stood, dumbstruck. What was happening and how could she run through him?_

_The door fell over and there stood another Silver Claw. The other Silver Claw quickly followed the path Amanda had gone down, passing through Silver Claw just as Amanda did._

_Silver Claw gasped as he realized that he this was where he and Amanda met. The other Silver Claw disappeared around the corner. The walkway sank. Silver Claw's eyes widened as he remembered that it fell after he left it. _

_The metal beneath his feet gave way and Silver Claw could only grab hold of the bottom of the doorway as the path fell to the ground. He frantically kicked at the rocky cliff trying to stop from falling. A soft sound turned Silver Claw's attention upward._

_Between his hands stood a rodent, a mouse, the same one he chased in the lab. It slowly moved to his right hand and looked down at him. Silver Claw hissed at the rodent as he tried to get a footing. A burst of pain cause Silver Claw to recoil his hand but that caused his body to shift so that it was at an angle he could not get his free hand back to the doorway._

_His heart quickened as the rodent moved to his other hand and climbed on top of it. Silver Claw kicked at the wall, still attempting to get a hold of it but suddenly, it turned smooth. The mouse moved down to the end of one of his fingers and bit down. Silver Claw lifted the finger and then another. Only one held him in place now. How, was beyond him. The mouse appeared next to the last finger and looked at him then back to the finger._

_Pain shot through the last finger and Silver Claw fell. The air rushed past him with amazing speed. He felt weightless. His feathers fluttered freely and he turned over to see the ground race up to greet him. Silver Claw a voice rang out, then darkness._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Silver Claw," a voice whispered through the darkness, "Silver Claw wake up."

With a groan, Silver Claw slowly opened his eyes. A blurry figure stood over him with its head by his. Slowly, his eyesight came back into focus. It was Amanda. Mud covered her clothing and exposed skin except for her face that was clear of dirt.

Silver Claw smiled. He could see every distinguishing feature of her face. Her long dusty brown hair that had grown slightly since he first met her, where it was just touching her shoulders, now it passed them, though not by much. Only the tips of her ears stuck out from the curtain of hair that hid them. Her smooth skin and other elegantly curved facial features seem to illuminate somehow. He smile and looked into her blue eyes, reminiscing on how much joy she brought him every day. He noticed several tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Are you alright Silver Claw?" Amanda asked softly and placed her hand onto his neck. "You were moving a lot and saying something I couldn't understand."

Silver Claw winced as a small jolt of pain came from his chest. "I'm ok Amanda," Silver Claw said reassuringly. He noticed a long slash in the side of her shirt. "How did you get that cut in your shirt?"

"Oh that," Amanda said and stuck her fingers through it. "When you were out cold, you kicked once and hooked my shirt."

Silver Claw's eyes widened.

"Don't worry," Amanda reassured. "It didn't even graze the skin. I'm fine."

A low murmur sounded around them and Silver Claw quickly glanced around to see a crowd of people around them. Most had guns aimed at him or close to it. The man he attacked was standing over Amanda with his rifle across his arms but ready. The man seemed to look at Silver Claw with respect but dislike at the same time.

A groan sounded next to him and Silver Claw turned his head to see Loki swaying his head back and forth almost sickly.

"He's still feeling the affects of the tranquilizer," Amanda commented, "He should be fine in a little while."

"Who are all these people," Silver Claw questioned. He heard some of them speaking in a language he could not understand.

"Ingen remember, Sophia told us," Amanda answered. "I've managed to talk them out of shooting you and Loki, Sophia is hiding I think."

Silver Claw gasped as he remembered gunshot. "Are you ok? I heard a gunshot and then you hit the ground."

"Yes Silver Claw," Amanda said and rubbed his head. "The idiot who shot at me was a terrible shot. He missed by quite a bit but I dropped to the ground incase someone else shot at me."

Silver Claw sighed in relief.

"I thought it was brave of you to try and rescue me," Amanda smiled. "Stupid but brave."

"I know," Silver Claw said and turned his head. He did not want to say that he attacked out of rage. "If you were alright, I had to know."

A murmur went through the crowd of people again. Silver Claw only caught several words though he could not understand them, words like "mujeres del diablo," "muchacha loca," and "Ella habla en lengüeta del devel, puede dios protegernos contra su mal."

"Do you know what the people are saying," Silver Claw said concerned. "I can't understand it."

"I don't speak Spanish," Amanda admitted. "But by the sounds of it, they are calling one of us the devil."

Silver Claw tilted his head.

"I can understand a few words that are close to the English one that means the same thing."

Silver Claw shifted and started to stand up. Immediately, rifles aimed at him.

"No, no, no," Amanda said quickly, pushing on his back. "If you stand up, they might shoot you."

"I don't like it here," Silver Claw said. "Could you tell them I won't attack?"

"I did," Amanda sighed, "But after your leap onto that guy, I couldn't tell them otherwise."

Silver Claw whimpered.

"What wrong," Amanda asked and gently placed her head against his.

"I thought I lost you Amanda," Silver Claw said. His feathers flattened.

"But you didn't," Amanda said and looked up at the crowd around them. "Can you let us go now? We only want to go to our home. Silver Claw did not mean any harm he was only protecting me."

"You are free to go," A man stepped next to her. He wore glasses. He gave Amanda the creeps for some reason. "But those animals are property of Ingen, we own them, not you, and we are taking them with us once we find a way to get off this island."

"My mate is not your property!" Amanda snapped angrily, adding a low raptor growl. "And neither is Loki!"

A murmur went through the crowd again. The men seemed even more uncomfortable and backed away slightly, though there guns stayed fixated at Silver Claw.

"Mate," someone in the crowd questioned.

"Yes," Amanda said ginning. She let out a loud shriek in raptor.

The men jumped back and nervously shifted.

"Now," Amanda said holding back her laughter. She turned her back to Silver Claw and moved her left hand to the knife handle. "You are going to let my pack leave and you are going to go home and not come back."

Peter Ludlow could not help but laugh. "You don't have a say in what we do here little girl, even if you can speak to those creatures."

The man that Silver Claw attacked looked at Ludlow. "Show some respect to the lady," he said in a tone that did not allow for question. He shouldered his gun and crouched in front of Amanda. "How old are you Amanda?"

"Sixteen," Amanda replied, gripping the knife tightly.

"And how long have you been here?" He asked in a polite tone that made Amanda even more nervous of his questions.

"A few months," Amanda replied.

"How were you injured?" He pointed to her neck.

"I was…attacked, it's nothing serious. Sarah took care of it for me." Amanda said.

"Have you hunted before?" He asked. "I saw that your first action was to grip that knife when I asked you a question."

"Yes," Amanda said without hesitation. "I'm almost as good as hunter as my mate."

"You seem a little nervous because of me," he said. "My name is Roland Tembo by the way." He held out his hand.

Amanda looked at his hand and then back at him. "I don't like hunters like you."

"Like me," he questioned and pulled his hand back.

"You hunt for the fun of it," Amanda said. "A real hunter only hunts to survive."

"You have met another hunter here, haven't you?"

Amanda looked at Silver Claw and then back to Roland. "His name was Lance."

"Lance hey." Roland mumbled to himself then louder he said. "About my height, white, arrogant, thinks he's better than everything and everyone, dressed similar to the movie character Crocodile Dundee."

"You knew him?" Amanda questioned. "He wasn't a friend of yours was he?" She moved closer to Silver Claw.

"He's a poacher," Roland said. "And no, he hunts with illegal weapons, uses cheap dirty tricks to kill. That man was nothing more than a coward and thief. He would not confront anyone up close in combat instead he would run away and attack at distance."

"Then it won't sadden you to know that he's dead."

"Your mate got him?" Roland questioned, raising one eyebrow.

"No, Silver Claw has never killed a human." Amanda railed. "He never would either."

"He hit me pretty hard," Roland disagreed. "Then he just fell over,"

"He broke three of his ribs not too long ago," Amanda said quietly, almost enough that he could not hear her.

"Well, I don't think there is anything that can be done now." Roland said and stood up.

"Sarah might be able to help," Amanda said. "Where is she?"

"She's talking with Dr. Robert Burke about…I think it was the parental instinct of a stegosaurus," Roland turned away and Amanda noticed how much mud he had on his back because of Silver Claw. He disappeared into the crowd followed by Peter Ludlow.

"He doesn't seem like Lance," Silver Claw said, nuzzling Amanda in the arm.

"He's nicer," Amanda admitted. "Do you think he'll let us go?"

"I don't know." Silver Claw sighed turned his head to look at Loki. "How are you holding up?"

"I feel sick," Loki said. His voice sounded weak and softer that it normally was.

"That should wear off in about and hour," Amanda said. "They gave you something to wake you up."

Loki tilted his head and a long sting of saliva rolled down his jaw and fell to the ground.

Amanda laughed. "That should go away soon as well."

"Amanda," Roland said as he stepped out of the crowd. "Could you come with me for a moment? Your friends will be fine."

Amanda looked at Silver Claw.

"Go ahead." Silver Claw nodded his head. "I'll watch over Loki."

Amanda slowly stood up and followed Roland into the crowd. The men quickly moved out of their way. However, they kept and eye on Amanda, mumbling things to one another. By what she could tell it was she, they were calling the devil.

Amanda felt uneasy. They were insulting her because she could talk to the velociraptors and that scared them. She was also the center of attention and that bothered her a great deal.

"Don't mind them," Roland said. "They're a superstitious bunch and they are scared of these islands and they mean in the local culture."

"I figured that," Amanda sighed.

They emerged from the crowd. Sarah, Ian, Nick, and Kelly stood close together with two armed men, Peter Ludlow, and Dr. Robert Burke. Ludlow quickly walked up to Roland and whispered something to him.

"Amanda," Sarah said and walked up to her. "How are Silver Claw and Loki?"

"Loki's recovering. Can you help with his broken ribs?"

Sarah looked down and sighed. "Not anymore, I'm sorry. All of my equipment was destroyed when the trailers fell off the cliff, and nothing is left here to do it."

Tears formed in Amanda's eyes but she quickly blinked them away. "I see."

"Amanda," Roland said, turning to face her. "Do you know about the building complex west of here?"

"Silver Claw briefly told me about it, why?"

"That's where we are headed," Ludlow said before Roland could reply. "Do you know if you could talk to the velociraptors there?"

"No, I can't," Amanda said. "I will not go anywhere near there either."

"Why not," Ludlow looked down for a second and pushed his glasses up.

"They will not allow Silver Claw, Loki or I in their territory." Amanda said and then added after a moment. "They would kill us the instant we were found."

"What did you do?" Roland asked.

"It's not what I've done, it's what Ingen did." Amanda said. "The original velociraptors they created that are still alive on this island have a grudge against almost all human. Some have accepted me and allowed me into their pack but others will kill any human on sight."

"Amanda!" Silver Claw called out.

Amanda turned and rushed into the group, pushing past anyone in her way. She quickly pushed aside some rifles aimed at Silver Claw and crouched by his side.

"Don't shoot him, he only called for me," She puffed. "What is it?"

"There are dilophosaurus coming this way." Silver Claw said, "Two adults and a juvenile I think."

"Oh my god," Amanda said.

"What is it?" Sarah asked from behind Amanda.

"Dilophosaurus are coming this way," Amanda said.

"What's a…dilophosaurus," a man said. He held a gun aimed at Silver Claw. He was scruffy looking and what looked like a small cattle prod hung from his side.

"It's a very large carnivore that can spit poison and…" Amanda started but a loud scream near the edge of the camp cut her off.

Gunfire erupted from the some of the men at the edge of the camp. More screams followed. The crowd of men dispersed in various directions in panic.

Silver Claw quickly jumped to his feet and readied his claws. Loki staggered to his feet and looked around. Both listened and sniffed the air.

At the far edge of the camp, an adult dilophosaurus burst from the trees and headed towards a group of scared men. It stood about five meters tall and about seven meters long. Its black hide specked with bright yellow dots provided cover in the dark. A long tooth filled maw suddenly snapped shut on a man killing him instantly. A V-shaped crimson crest was the most distinguishing feature besides the flailing frill.

It chased the other men that it had missed on the first strike. It grabbed another man and tossed him like a twig into the air. Gunfire sounded throughout the men and soon the creature dropped to the ground, bleeding from at least a dozen wounds.

Amanda looked at Silver Claw and Loki. She looked to Sarah and the other panicking people. "Silver Claw, are the dilophosaurus in that direction?" She pointed into the darkness of the nearby jungle.

"No, they're on the other side." Silver Claw said and ducked his head as more shots rang through the air. "Why?"

"One second," Amanda ran up to Sarah. "Sarah, I would like to say good bye."

"What?" Sarah asked, turning to face Amanda.

"Good bye," Amanda said and ran towards Silver Claw and Loki. "Come with me," Amanda said as she passed by the velociraptors.

"Amanda!" Sarah called. "Amanda, come back!"

Loki staggered slightly but soon followed. Silver Claw looked at the panicking people for a moment and followed Amanda.

Another group of screams sounded from near to where the dilophosaurus died. Another, slightly larger creature leapt from the jungle and made a B-line for the largest cluster of men. The men dispersed and the juvenile jumped out of hiding onto a man. More shots filled the chilled night air.

Amanda, Silver Claw, and Loki passed into the tree line and the humans and the dilophosaurus disappeared from sight. The jungle became thick with undergrowth and it quickly became harder to move about. Amanda and the velociraptors continued to race deeper into the jungle along with Silver Claw and Loki, the screams of several more men and gunshots filled the air before fading into silence.

The four jumped over a large rotting log and continued onward. Large damp ferns and branches lashed against them. The jungle became suddenly thinner, the canopy opened up, and the air became heavy and humid.

Silver Claw looked at Amanda with concern as the sounds in the distance faded. She left the humans, he thought, some were her friends. Why would she do that? What could force her to do that?

The ground became steeper and after a few minutes, they came to a stop at the base of a cliff. Large boulders and jagged rocks lay on the ground. The edge of the jungle was about three meters from the base of the cliff.

Amanda quickly looked around and then she noticed something. Several large boulders seemed to form a semicircular shape against the cliff base. With a wave, Amanda, Silver Claw and Loki moved to the more protected area.

Amanda leaned over panting when they stopped inside the area. Loki staggered and fell to the ground, drool still dripped down from his jaw, though not as much as when he first woke.

"We left them," Silver Claw said and had to ask why.

"Because," Amanda replied. "They wanted to take us to where you say Tyrannous."

"Why would they go there?" Loki asked. He slowly staggered to his feet and leaned against the cliff for support.

"I don't know," Amanda said. Tears formed and rolled down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" Silver Claw asked. He walked up to her and gently nuzzled her shoulder.

Amanda sank to the ground and leaned against the cliff. She covered her eyes so that Silver Claw would not see her crying.

Silver Claw lowered his head to look her in the eye but her hands were in the way. "Amanda," he said softly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Amanda sobbed and pulled her knees to her chest.

"Amanda," Silver Claw pushed her hands aside gently with his snout. "As you mate and friend, I want to know."

Amanda brushed away her tears but new one quickly replaced them. "See those men kill brought back images of when my family was attacked."

Silver Claw gently placed his head against hers. "I'm so sorry Amanda. Is there anything I can do?"

"Something's coming our way Amanda, Silver Claw." Loki said nervously. He was still suffering the side effects of the drug.

"Why did you get yourself captured?" A female voice boomed. Sophia stepped out of the bushes. "You could have died Silver Claw!"

"It's nice to see you too," Silver Claw said.

Sophia snorted. "We should get moving before those dilophosaurus decide to follow us, if they are still alive."

Amanda slowly stood up. She wiped the tears from her face. "Yeah, I guess so."

Slowly the four moved along the cliff. The ground became rocky. Then suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed over the island. Though Amanda could not hear it, in the distance, a large creature pushed through the jungle towards the hunter camp.

"What was that?" Amanda said concerned.

"Tyrannosaurus," Loki said. "They're in the distance but getting closer."

Amanda noticed an odd shape in the cliff and squinted to see it better. It looked like a path leading up the cliff. "Silver Claw, you can see better than I, is that a path along the cliff?"

"Yes," Silver Claw replied once he found it. "It looks large enough so that we could follow it to the top of the cliff."

"Ok, let's get out of here before something comes." Amanda said and moved towards the pathway.

The velociraptors soon followed her. They slowly moved onto the rocky pathway and made their way up the cliff. Rocks crumbled under foot as they progressed steadily higher. The rough wall and winds made for a perilous trek.

Amanda sighed and looked her right. They were above the treetops and the camp was visible in the distance. Amanda noticed that they were only at a small, secluded part of what had been the camp. A few fires still burned in the main section and the wreckage from destroyed vehicles lay strewn about. West of the camp, a large lake glistened in a black aurora.

A crack of thunder in the distance made Amanda look to the sky as another downpour drenched the island. Amanda quickened her pace and within minutes, the four reached the top of the cliff. Amanda quickly took cover under a massive pine that acted like an umbrella. The velociraptors slowly stepped under.

The jungle around was a lush green, even in the dark. Dead leaves lay strewn about the jungle floor, which with the rain, made the ground sticky. The rhythmical beat of the rain against the leaves of the forest canopy echoed throughout the jungle in a soothing ripple. A heavy gust of wind swayed the trees and broke branches that fell harmlessly to the ground.

"Where are we going to go?" Loki asked and approached Amanda.

"Well, I think we could head north and go where Silver Claw and I were talking about." Amanda said. She twisted parts of her shirt to get rid of the water.

Loki cocked his head. His body shook slightly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you were not there. We were thinking of going to the northern part of the island." Amanda said. "Silver Claw said there might be a building we could stay in."

"What about my parents pack," Loki said. "You belong to it and I'm sure the pack would be delighted to see that you are alive and well."

Amanda sighed. "You know that some of the pack does not like me."

"After taking down an adult triceratops," Loki started. "They would treat you with respect. Even a lone velociraptor will not…"

"What about me," Sophia interrupted. "I'm banished from my pack."

"You could come with us," Amanda said and looked at Silver Claw, "As long as you would like her to stay with us."

"I guess she could," Silver Claw sighed. He remembered his talk with Sophia before someone shot at Amanda but did not want to bring it up.

"And me," Loki cocked his head. His voice was becoming clearer every moment and his body stopped shaking. He no longer drooled from the effect of the tranquilizer.

A lightning bolt snaked across the black sky, illuminating the lake in a white flash. A deafening crack sounded afterwards that shook the trees and rattled the earth underfoot.

"You could come with us," Amanda said. "That is if you want to."

"I'll go with you most of the way but I should return to our territory, maybe my father will allow me back."

"Perhaps," Silver Claw said. "He did not like having to banish you, you know."

"Yeah," Loki sighed.

"Shall we get moving," Sophia said and moved into the jungle. She pushed past a large fern and disappeared into the darkness.

Loki followed behind her and quickly disappeared as well. Amanda paused for a moment and looked out towards the camp. The men were heading west. The light from their flashlights illuminated the jungle around them. Some ways away, the jungle rocked back and forth with the movement of a large creature, probably a tyrannosaurus.

"Good bye civilization," Amanda whispered to her self. A single tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the ground. Amanda sighed, turned around, and disappeared into the jungle along side Silver Claw.


	25. Valley of Shadows

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 25: Valley of Shadows

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

Author Note: I am keeping the length of my stories, sorry to those who hoped for shorter chapters and faster updates.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The rhythmical beat of the rain against the forest canopy sounded like drums in the darkness. The chorus of frogs and insects reverberate through the chilled night air. A light breeze in comparison to the storm overhead snaked its way through the trees and rustled the leaves of the undergrowth.

Amanda pushed past a large fern as she followed behind the velociraptors. She sighed. It had been half an hour since she walked away from the humans that wanted to imprison Silver Claw and Loki, to capture nature for profit, and make her speak to an enemy pack. However, some of the humans she left behind, she considered her friends and wanted to preserve the island, not destroy it. She felt bad for leaving them behind.

Amanda was tired of the walking but did not want to stop, at least not yet. The cold she felt through the wet shoes only made walking worse. Her clothing was damp from when she dropped to the ground after being shot at and the mud she gather during her short but hated time on the ground only made things worse.

Amanda sighed as she thought about what the people would go through just to get to the building and even more so, what would happen once they got their. Surely, most would survive the trek to the building, Amanda though optimistically, then again, those who survived the tyrannosaurs would have to deal with a pack of hateful velociraptors. It was likely most would not survive.

Amanda looked at Silver Claw. She was sore and tired, and the air was only getting cooler. She had to stop. "Do you think we should find somewhere for the night Silver Claw?"

"Are you tired?" Silver Claw asked and slowed his pace so that she walked next to him.

"I'm more sore than tired," Amanda exclaimed but could not help but yawn. "But it would be nice to get some rest and continue in the morning."

"I agree," Loki said. "I'm still a little sleepy from that stuff."

"I don't like stopping in an unfamiliar area," Sophia said, emphasizing her voice, "Especially at night."

"Someone could keep watch while the others sleep and then switch off during the night," Amanda suggested.

"Fine," Sophia sighed. "You will not be watching though."

Amanda stopped and looked around. "Where should we stay though, this area looks too open to me."

"Open's good," Loki yawned, showing his teeth. He shifted his jaw slightly. "You can see what's coming."

"But it can see you," Silver Claw added. "Let's just continue on for a bit until we find a suitable spot where we could hide and not be seen." Silver Claw looked to Amanda, "If you like, I could carry you until we stop Amanda."

Amanda smiled but then remembered the fall Silver Claw had at the river. "What about your chest, I don't want to aggravate it anymore than it is."

"Don't worry so much," Silver Claw reassured and set himself down. "Are you just going to stand there?"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Fine," she sighed. Instead of sitting as she did before, Amanda laid herself so that her head rested against his neck and her arms hung behind his arms. "There," she said, shifting to get comfortable against his scaly hide.

Silver Claw slowly stood up and looked at her caringly. He looked at Sophia to see her glare at him. She went to speak but Silver Claw shook his head. They continued onward.

"Thank you," Amanda said softly. Her voice was becoming drowsier and it was obvious that she was falling asleep.

Several minutes passed as they moved quietly through the jungle. The insects and frogs continued there chorus in the night while the storm above began to die down. The breeze stopped and the area seemed at peace.

Silver Claw looked to his back and smiled. Amanda was asleep. A smile graced her face and she had her arms snugly just behind his ribs. Her legs crossed over his tail so that they did not disrupt Silver Claw when he walked.

"Let's keep quiet so Amanda doesn't wake," Silver Claw said almost in a whisper.

"She fell asleep," Sophia said, glancing at the human.

"Yes," Silver Claw said. "She's had a rough day and she should get some rest."

"We've all had a rough day," Sophia commented in a tempered tone.

Loki stopped. "How about that spot?" He gesture to a large protruding piece of rock, it looked rectangular with a single part rising above the roof in the center. "I see what looks like an entrance we could go into."

Silver Claw looked at it. "What do you think Sophia?"

"It'll do I guess," She sighed.

Loki and Sophia slowly approached the entrance and looked inside. Both disappeared but Loki's head soon reemerged.

"It's clear," Loki said. "And I think Amanda's going to like what's inside."

Silver Claw cocked his head.

"She may know what this place is." Loki said, "Because I have no idea."

Silver Claw slowly stepped into the entrance, and what he saw shocked him.

In the center of the room, a large bowl like object with charred logs and plant material sat upon a raised stone platform. The floor was stone, gritty and rough but may have been smooth at one time. The engraved walls surrounding the bowl, depicted scenes with strange carvings and figures that none of the velociraptors could tell what the meaning was. The roof was stone and opened up in the center to the canopy above. Only a few holes appeared in the walls where years of corrosion crippled some of the structure. Vines spiraled down from holes in the roof and walls, while leaves covered the floor.

"Amanda will like this," Silver Claw said with wide eyes. "I don't want to wake her though. She can tell us what it is in the morning."

"I understand," Loki said. "What do you think this place is?"

"Some kind of human structure," Silver Claw replied. "That's all I can say."

"Quiet down you two," Sophia said. She had already curled up in a corner to the right of the entrance. "I see no need to keep watch; it is easy to see if something is coming in here."

"One second," Loki said as he walked out the door. "I'll be right back."

Silver Claw looked around and moved to the opposite corner of Sophia. He gently set himself on the ground and looked at Amanda. She was still asleep and he did not want to wake her. Using his snout to hold her head, Silver Claw slowly tilted his body until Amanda fell gently to the ground. Silver Claw rested Amanda's head on the floor and laid himself on the ground next closest to the door.

A snap quickly got his attention. Silver Claw watched the door with suspicious eyes. Loki suddenly appeared in the doorway with a large leafy branch in his mouth.

"What are you doing?" Silver Claw had to ask. He tilted his head as Loki straightened the branch in the entrance.

Loki finished what he was doing and looked at Silver Claw. "I saw humans do this to hide a trap once. I though I may be able to do the same with the entrance here or at least well know when something tries to enter."

"That seem ok," Silver Claw said and rested his head on the cold floor. "Good night," Silver Claw yawned.

"Yeah," Loki sighed and curled up on the other corner next to the door.

Sophia remained silent.

Silver Claw turned his head and leaned it against Amanda's shoulder. "Good night my love," Silver Claw whispered and closed his eyes…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dawn slowly crept over Isla Sorna. The morning light bathed the island in a golden hue. The placid surface of the lake glistened in a florescent glow of gold and sky-blue. In the skies above, large dark clouds drifted lazily in the wind, the only reminders of the night's storm. On the ground, trees swayed gently back and fourth in the breeze.

The heavy aroma of that surrounded herbivores filled the air. The deep long calls of the dinosaurs drifted out of the jungle and into the small field.

Sunayana lazily sat on a slope overlooking the field and lake. It was the spot where she and the pack first met Silver Claw, Amanda, and Ellie. It was a great spot to bask in after a night of hunting in the rain and not too many carnivores were around so she could take her time. The rest of her hunting party went back to the nests some time earlier, but she wanted to linger a little longer.

She basked in the warmth of the sun as she thought about several things. The warmth helped to ease her racing mind, but not for long. Her thoughts lingered on her life and of that of her pack, and of the night of hunting.

During the start of the storm, the rain and wind brought down several trees not too far from the nests and everyone was on edge about it. If one had fallen in another direction, it would have landed in the nesting ground, though it would only have hit Silver Claw and Amanda's nest, which was in ruin anyway.

She sighed as she thought about what could have happened to Silver Claw. It was foolish of him to run away in the night with two broken ribs. He could be dead now. Then there was Loki, he was near the nest that night but he turned away and followed Silver Claw. Some of the pack went looking for both of them that morning, but the trail lead outside the territory and none wanted to start a rivalry with any pack that lived outside the boundary.

"Sunayana!" Her pack called suddenly from the distance. "Come quick!"

In an instant, Sunayana scrambled to her feet and disappeared into the jungle. The air quickly became humid as she approached the swamp. The ground underfoot became soft and leaves stuck to her feet. Within several minutes, she passed out of the swamp and continued deeper into the jungle. The distant calls of her pack told her to be wary of something but they were not specific.

What could it be? Sunayana thought, trying to figure out what would cause them to call her with such urgency. Half an hour passed until she reached the nests. Her legs hurt and her breath came in raspy gasps as she stopped next to a clustered group of velociraptors.

"What…what is it?" She gasped.

Jack stepped aside to reveal a limp form of a velociraptor. It was Mark. He was the one assigned to guard the eggs while the others were out hunting near the end of the storm. A long clean slash from just under his skull ran to the center of his chest, a very painful but quick death for a velociraptor. He would have died in moments of receiving the wound.

"What…" Sunayana stuttered. "What did this?"

"Not what," Sara snarled, "But who."

"I can't believe this," Sunayana said shaken. "He was strong, how could any thing cause a wound on him like that."

Jack let out a heavy snort. "He crushed our eggs killed a member of my pack, Alex will pay for this!"

Fang and Elise snarled at the mention of his name, baring their teeth in an angry display of hatred.

"Who is Alex?" Sunayana had to ask.

Jack snorted. "He is a green, a male. He was the most vicious creature of the old velociraptors. He escaped twice and twice killed five humans... and nearly myself."

"I thought you killed him," Elise snarled. "He should have died! We all saw it."

"I thought he was too," Jack sighed, "But you don't mistake a smell like his."

"What happened?" Blaze asked.

"He fell," Sara snarled. "He fell off a cliff and into jungle, he should have died. Just before he was about to try and kill Jack, Jack got one kick in, square in the chest. No velociraptor could survive that drop!"

"We should move our nests," Fang said. "Alex knows where we are, and if he could kill Mark like this, it would seem he has kept up his strength after these long years."

"There is nothing to move," Jack said. "But I know we have to move, it's just I don't know where we could go to that he could not find us though."

"We could hide… I mean go in the human buildings," Sunayana said, remembering the large buildings where the indoor environment was. "There is a large building that we could easily defend with lots of space and sheltered from the rain."

"Show us," Jack said and the pack followed Sunayana into the jungle.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda stretched her arms as she awoke. The ground beneath her was hard and cold. She opened her eyes to see a stone roof over her. She quickly sat up. She was in a room of a building.

How could it be, there were no building close to where they were, were there? Then, she noticed the central stone platform holding a bowl like object and the brick walls that surrounded it. It was not one of Ingen's buildings but one much older

Amanda looked down to see Silver Claw, asleep, with a peaceful expression on his face. His body was close to hers. She looked up to see Sophia and Loki were asleep on either side of what appeared to be the door to the room, where a large branch stood upright as a sort of barrier.

The air was musty and cool. Very little light filled the room and outside was not much better. The jungle that she could see through the entrance seemed dull in comparison to what she normally surrounded her. The air was empty of smell except for that of the velociraptors and the smells emanating from the old structure.

Amanda slowly stood up, as not to disturb Silver Claw, and walked over to the bowl to look in it. Charred wood and grasses lay scattered about the metal object while rust and something that looked like a kind of mold grew over the surface. Surprisingly, the wood and grasses did not look too old. A snap outside quickly got her attention.

A shadow appeared in front of the door way and Amanda ducked down behind the bowl and the stand that held it. She peered around the corner of the stand to see a herrerasaur step into view. Its tan hide made it easy to see even in the low lighting. The creature sniffed the air and lowered its head to the ground. Amanda nearly gasped when it turned to come into the structure. The head stopped at the branch and slowly shifted back and forth. A low hiss caused the raptors to wake instantly.

The herrerasaur pushed past the branch and headed straight towards Silver Claw, the only one in sight. Silver Claw hissed as he scrambled to his feet.

The herrerasaur was too close for Silver Claw to defend himself in time. Suddenly the creature froze. It wheezed and dropped to the ground only feet from Silver Claw. A knife stuck out of its side.

Amanda was knelt by the stand, her arm extended and the knife's sheath empty. Her breath came in a heavy sets and she paled slightly.

"Thank you Amanda," Silver Claw said, lowering his claws and feathers.

Amanda sighed heavily and moved to the side of the herrerasaurus. "Don't worry about it."

She reached down and pulled the knife out. She whipped the blood off the knife carefully with her fingers and slid it back into the sheath.

"I guess you can have breakfast before we go now," Amanda said and walked over to Silver Claw.

"You killed it Amanda," Silver Claw said, "I think you should have the first bite."

"I can't," Amanda said and looked down. "On the mainland, a doctor said I was sick from all that raw meat."

Silver Claw cocked his head. "You didn't seem sick. Maybe this…doctor was wrong."

"I don't want to get sick though," Amanda said.

"Didn't Sarah tell you about some kind of plants that help with that sort of thing?" Silver Claw said and craned his neck to look past Amanda to see Sophia going to take a bite. "Sophia, it is Amanda's kill, not yours. You can wait your turn."

Sophia snorted but backed away.

"Well, Sarah did." Amanda admitted. "I wish she would have had the chance to show me how to make a fire, that plant tastes odd."

"Are you going to eat or shall I?" Sophia said testily. "I would like to get a move on soon."

"Sophia," Loki said, "Be nice."

Sophia only glared at him.

"Ok," Amanda sighed. "I guess I'll have some."

Silver Claw put his foot on the right leg of the herrerasaurus and sank his claw into it. He quickly cut out a sizable piece for Amanda and gave it to her.

"Thanks," Amanda smiled and kissed his scaly snout. She moved to the corner where she woke and sat down.

"Now can we eat?" Sophia sighed.

Silver Claw looked to Amanda and when she nodded, the three velociraptors dug in. They tore flesh and muscles from the bone. Blood quickly spread out over the floor as the raptors continued to eat.

Amanda sighed and leaned back. She suddenly jumped forward and turned around to see something in a small pile of leave. She blew the leaves away to reveal a lighter or at least it looked like one. Amanda quickly picked up the item with one hand and brushed off the side with her thumb. It was a lighter, and it was full.

A grin crossed Amanda's face. "I found something."

Silver Claw and Loki both looked up from the carcass. Blood trickled down their jaws and dripped to the floor.

Amanda held the object up. "It's a lighter. Humans use it to make fires."

Loki went back to eating while Silver Claw moved to Amanda's side.

"Are you going to use it?" He asked. He could not hide his curiosity.

"Yes," Amanda said with a sigh. She stood up and walked to the bowl. "Could you hold this," Amanda asked and held out her piece of the kill.

"Of course," Silver Claw said and took the flesh in his mouth and stepped back.

Amanda felt the charred pieces of wood and picked up one. She scraped it against the side of the bowl to rid it of the charred wood. The sound caused Silver Claw to shake. She put the wood back in the center and piled the grasses on top of it. Amanda brushed the remaining dirt from the lighter and tried to use it. The wheel creaked and a flame shot up. Amanda quickly moved it to the grasses. It took a second but the dry matter combusted and the fire slowly began to spread.

The flame flickered and smoke rose up into the air. It rose to the ceiling and disappeared into the hole in the roof. Amanda smiled as she watched the flame grow until it consumed the entire bowl. Suddenly, the flames died out.

Amanda tilted her head. "What the…"

The flames suddenly shot up with a renewed fierceness but the flames were not reddish orange, but a bright green. Amanda suddenly felt odd. Her vision flickered slightly and she looked to Silver Claw. He looked different. His scales seemed to ripple like on the water after a drop of rain hit the surface. Amanda's attention suddenly turned to the walls as they began to move. The figures came alive it seemed to have life as they danced along the surface.

Amanda felt sick all of a sudden. Her eyes rolled up and she felt her limps go limp, darkness…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sunayana lead the pack through the maze of halls. They traveled through the jungle for two hours to reach the building as to make sure nothing followed them. The trip was slow and several wanted to find this Alex to kill him for what he did to Mark and the eggs. It was bad enough to kill another velociraptor but to crush the eggs as well, that was asking for a slow painful death with the full wrath of a pack. Eggs were essential to a pack, not only did they add to the number of members, they were hard to hatch and the more a female had, meant that there was a more likely chance that the hatchlings would hatch and live to have their own children.

Sunayana slowly ascended the stairs and pushed the door at the top open. The hall bridging the buildings was clear. The door on the other side was open, just as Amanda had left it when they left.

"It's just through that door," Sunayana said and walked towards the door. She was the first in the room and soon the pack followed her.

The massive room was exactly as it was the few weeks before, green and empty of animal life.

"This will due nicely," Jack commented and jumped onto the grass below.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda slowly awoke to the steady movement that she knew was Silver Claw running. Her head hurt and she felt sick. She slowly opened her eyes to see that it was dark. The jungle passed by very quickly but she saw that it was very open in-between trees.

"Silver Claw," Amanda said weakly. "What happened?"

"I'll explain in a bit," Silver Claw said quickly. "For now, we have to be quiet."

Amanda felt offended for some reason. He just told her to be quiet and that was rude she thought. She suddenly felt a surge of pain rush through her head that quickly passed. Amanda lifted her head and looked to her right to see Loki and Sophia looking around as they ran alongside Silver Claw. They seemed worried.

Amanda gathered her strength and lifted her head to look to the sky. Sparse holes let slight amounts of light through to the forest floor. The light she could see seemed bright, it must have been around noon.

"Silver Claw," Amanda protested.

"Shut up human," Sophia snapped. "You're going to get us killed!"

Amanda looked to Sophia. She had a terrified expression on her face. She never saw a velociraptor that worried about something. It must be bad if they were all worried.

Amanda lowered her head back to Silver Claw's neck and held on tight.

The terrain was flat and easy to maneuver for Silver Claw. Little undergrowth grew because of the lack of light. The trees were thick, larger than a man could put his arms around. They were scatter about, even at the distance, the canopy still blocked out the sky.

Suddenly, a loud sheik sounded in the sky above the canopy. Heavy flapping filled the air and small holes of light disappeared for a moment. A loud crack sounded overhead followed by a terrific screech. From the canopy, a large creature burst through. Its large beak and crest were the intimidating features. The wings tucked against the side as it dove towards the velociraptors. Just before it hit the ground, its wings spread open.

Amanda gasped as her ears hurt from the pressure caused by the force of air. The creature shrieked as it had to climb back into the sky because of a closer group of trees.

"Is that what's following us?" Amanda had to ask.

"Not only that," Silver Claw said. "We have to find somewhere to stop."

"Over there," Sophia said and turned towards a large curved root that looked to be the entrance to a hole in the ground.

Sophia was the first in, then Loki, and then Silver Claw and Amanda. Amanda quickly got off Silver Claw and sat against a dirt wall. The area was cramped but large enough to hold them with a little room for movement. Sophia and Loki were panting while Silver Claw dropped his head to the ground.

"What happened?" Amanda said.

After several moments of heavy breathing, Silver Claw lifted his head and looked at Amanda. "After you blacked out, we began to feel weird and got out of the building. The herrerasaur you killed was not the only one." Silver Claw took in a breath. He was talking quickly and Amanda found it hard to keep up with what he was saying. "There were at least fifteen others. Herrerasaurs are the sworn enemy of velociraptors and either species will attack the other at first sight. The herrerasaurs chased us for a long time. We finally lost them only to stumble too close to the valley's edge. That winged creature that tried to attack us was only one of about fifty now searching for us."

"What time is it?" Amanda asked then rephrased it. "How long has it been since I blacked out?"

"The sun was only starting to rise when you passed out." Loki stated, allowing Silver Claw to catch his breath again. "It is now midday, though it does not look like it."

"What about the herrerasaurs?"

"I've never seen more that two in a group." Sophia stated. She kept a keen eye on the entrance. "It must be sometime just before or after their mating season."

Amanda tilted her head.

"Once every two years all the juvenile or mate less herrerasaurs gather in one spot to mate. It probably lasts about two weeks and then they all leave in groups and spread out over the island again."

"I saw some with children already," Amanda said. "That was a few days ago."

"That pair was a life pair most likely." Sophia panted. "They mate earlier than the juveniles."

A loud shriek echoed through the jungle. The heavy flaps sounded in the sky above. In the distance, another shriek sounded and soon another pair of wings circled overhead.

"I didn't think they would spread so quickly over the island," Loki sighed and rested his head on Sophia's back.

"It didn't look like the ones that were on this island." Amanda said, remembering the booklet she once had.

"There are other islands Amanda," Loki said.

"I know," Amanda said but before she could continue, Silver Claw pushed her mouth shut.

The distant but constant thuds of approaching creatures quickly grew louder. Before long, a strong rotting smell filled the air and the first herrerasaur passed by the entrance, oblivious to the velociraptors. Soon more passed by at the same quick pace. Minutes passed until the last passed by. It seemed to have a limp. The sound of the creatures slowly faded into the distance.

Silver Claw slowly moved his snout away from Amanda's jaw. "I'm sorry I had to do that Amanda," Silver Claw said softly and his feathers flattened.

"I counted at least twenty," Loki said. "They didn't see us either."

"I know," Sophia said. "They must be in a hurry."

"Well," Silver Claw sighed. "At least they'll be in front of us when we get out of here."

"In front," Amanda said. "Let's turn around and put as much distance between us and them as we can."

"I for got to mention something to you," Silver Claw sighed. "We're in a valley and the only way out is the way the herrerasaurs are headed in. It was hard to get down, up is impossible."

"What are you talking about?" Amanda asked.

"We had to go down a cliff to get in here, the only way out is on the other side of the valley we think." Silver Claw replied. A loud shriek in the skies above let them know the winged creatures were circling still. "And then there are those."

"So we are going to the other side of the valley?" Amanda questioned to make sure. She instinctively held the handle of her knife because of the possible threat.

"Yes," Silver Claw sighed and moved to the entrance. He turned his head to scan the area and then stepped out. "It's clear except for those winged creatures."

"Ok," Loki sighed and moved out of the hole. Sophia soon followed.

Amanda hesitated for a moment but reluctantly followed. She stretched her back. "What happened just after I blacked out anyway?"

"Uh…" Loki started. "Let's not get into that."

Amanda tilted her head. "Why?"

"Believe me Amanda," Silver Claw said before Loki could reply. "You don't want to know."

"Now I'm curious." Amanda said, "What happened?"

"Nothing," Sophia said. "Nothing happened, now stop asking."

Amanda sighed. "Now I'm really curious. If all three of you are trying to hide it, it must be interesting."

"I carried you out and that's it," Silver Claw said. "That's all you need to know."

"Please…" Amanda pleaded. She made to most innocent face she could, the one that she used on her parents to get her way or get out of trouble.

Silver Claw looked to Loki. "Should we, It would have involved her if she were not on my back."

"If you tell her, she will hit you," Loki said, "And I cannot have her speaking about it by accident around the pack if she knew."

"I guess you're right," Silver Claw sighed. "Sorry Amanda, I cannot tell you."

Sophia let out a snort of satisfaction. "Good, it didn't involve her so she has no need to know. And like Loki said, I don't want her accidentally saying anything."

"Fine," Amanda crossed her arms. "Be that way."

The flapping overhead started to fade into the distance. The shrieks became quiet and the winged creatures were gone.

"That's one good thing." Silver Claw sighed. "Would you like me to carry you Amanda," Silver Claw asked. "If we run into some more herrerasaurs, it would be better if you were on my back rather than on foot."

"Fine," Amanda said. She moved next to Silver Claw and with a jump, was on his back again. She laid her head against his neck.

"Ok, let's get moving." Silver Claw said.

They moved quickly through the jungle but at a speed, they would not catch up to the herrerasaurs. An hour passed and Amanda became sleepy. Her arms were sore from rubbing against Silver Claw's scales and her head still hurt. In the distance, the calls of dozens of herrerasaurs echoed.

The pace slowed and Silver Claw, Loki, and Sophia became nervous again. They stepped carefully to create as little sound as possible. The trees grew thinner and the sky opened up, though it was still almost as dark on the forest floor. A large slope rose from the ground in the distance.

"What do you think is on the other side of that?" Amanda asked in a whisper but only got looks to tell her to be quiet. She got off Silver Claw at his request.

They reached the base of the slope and Silver Claw slowly started to climbed, keeping low. Sophia and Loki followed, keeping low as well. The sound was louder that earlier and it seemed to be coming from the other side of the slope. Amanda looked to her left and then to her right. The slope seemed to run as far as she could see.

She looked up to see the velociraptors near the top and quickly followed them. As she reached them, Silver Claw put his tail in her path and shook his head. Amanda glared at him for a moment and crawled over it. She reached the top despite his attempts to stop her. Amanda gasped.


	26. The Volcanic Flats

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 26: The Volcanic Flats

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda gasped at the sight before her. The area beyond the slope was a volcanic mess of bubbling pools of superheated water, thermal vents that bellowed smoke and other gasses into the air, and deep fissures the were hidden by a wave of heat that blurred the area around them. To the far left and right, massive jet-black cliffs rose into the sky at least a hundred and fifty feet. The air smelled heavily of rotting eggs and decay so much so, that Amanda nearly threw up and had to cover her mouth and nose to prevent it. A heavy cloud of smoke and other gasses looked like a dark fog that hung close to the ground making it hard to see beyond about twenty feet. Herrerasaurs darted in and out of the cloud, ignorant to the fact something was watching them.

The shredded forms of dead or dying herrerasaurs and carcasses of at least seven other creatures covered the landscape. The pools of bubbling water dyed red from the amount of bloodshed caused by fight for a mate and rank. Males and females both fought one another for the better partner. When one was victorious, often another would attack the weakened animal and kill it mercilessly then move onto another. When a pair of herrerasaurs was together and satisfied with the each other, they would move off and disappear from sight. The mournful death wails of herrerasaurs echoed through the air and surpassed any other noise that may have filled the air.

"It is madness," Sophia said in utter disbelief. "I can see at least eleven dead, who knows how many more are dead or dying out their. I have heard stories about it but this surpasses any of them."

"How large do you think this area is?" Loki asked softly. "By the sounds of it, there must be at least thirty animals fighting, who could know how many more at rest."

"I don't know." Silver Claw answered. "But if we can't go around we have a problem. There are far too many to fight our way through and with our injuries Loki…"

"That is far too many animals for this island to support," Amanda said. She sounded as if she were lost in her thoughts. "Shouldn't they have eaten everything on the island by now?"

"They don't eat too much," Silver Claw replied. "About one kill every week is enough to support several. Anyway, they stay mainly by the coast or near the streams and rivers, or at least that is what my father said."

"Still, this is too many." Amanda said. Her voice was becoming more distressed.

"Most of them will probably die today or the next," Silver Claw said. "Only after a pair is mated will they hunt large prey, otherwise, they scavenge off other kills and raid the nest of different creatures."

"They don't seem to be scavengers," Amanda stated.

"I know, they are built to hunt but they don't do it as often as their bodies would suggest for some reason." Silver Claw sighed. "It is better that way, I guess."

Suddenly, a herrerasaur limped out of the cloud of smoke towards where Silver Claw, Loki, Sophia and Amanda were. With a pitiful yelp, the creature collapsed to the ground, wheezing and choking. Its body scarred and covered in fresh bleeding wounds. A yellow stain covered parts of its body and discolored the blood. Its eyes stared directly at the top of the hill at Amanda and the velociraptors.

Amanda felt sorry for the creature for some reason. It was dying and in pain, and there was nothing that she could do to help it. Sure, if it was better it would attack them and try to kill her, but now… she could not help but want to help it. Amanda stared it in the eyes and for a brief moment, she thought she saw something…almost a kind side of the creature, something caring and proper.

The herrerasaur started hacking. Blood sprayed onto the ground and it let out a low almost pleading cry for help.

Another herrerasaur stepped into view and then stopped beside its fallen adversary. With a single bite, it ended the life of the other and in the process tore large chunks of flesh. Death screeches and victorious bellows echoed over the area and the herrerasaur quickly disappeared back into the cloud to pursue another opponent.

Amanda quickly moved down the slope, away from the chaos and death. Silver Claw cocked his head and followed her.

"Amanda," Silver Claw said softly as he caught up to her at the bottom. "What's wrong?"

She turned to Silver Claw for comfort and leaned her head against his. She was crying. Amanda wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly. Silver Claw felt her tears roll down his neck. He could not help but feel as bad as she did.

Silver Claw hummed softly to comfort her and rubbed his head against her head. "It's ok Amanda," he spoke softly. "What's bothering you?"

Amanda mumbled something that Silver Claw could not understand. "All that death, it's just like that night my boat was attacked, all the blood and screaming and…" She started to cry louder.

Silver Claw kept an eye around them incase more herrerasaurs were approaching the area. He continued to rub his head against hers. "It's alright Amanda," he hummed softly. "I'm here. Nothing is going to harm you, nothing."

A snap turned Silver Claw's attention to the hill where Loki and Sophia were moving down it, quickly.

"We got to go," Sophia said as she moved past Silver Claw and Amanda.

"What's happening?" Silver Claw asked.

"Either they saw us or heard us," Loki said, "but a group of herrerasaurs are headed this way, fast."

"Amanda," Silver Claw said softly and lowered himself slightly. "Get on."

Amanda continued to cry as she climbed onto Silver Claw. As soon as she was on, Silver Claw followed Loki and Sophia into the jungle. The jungle became darker as the canopy became thicker and enclosed overhead. The trees became further apart and grew taller. After several minutes, they slowly stopped. Everything was quiet except for a few distant birds and a soft crying.

The air was moist and free of the foul smell that surrounded the herrerasaur breeding ground. A light breeze meandered its way through the jungle, carrying with it the stench of decay. It was dark, like on a moonless night where only a few star were visible in the night sky, but it was day, at least noon, probably some time over. A small scratching turned the attention of the velociraptors to a tree in time to see a lizard like creature jump and glide slowly to a tree further away.

Sophia sighed. "I don't think they followed us," Sophia said. "They're too busy with… other matters."

"Why is she crying?" Loki asked. It made him nervous because it could attract some unwanted attention like the pteranodons or worse.

"She's upset about that much blood and death," Silver Claw said softly. "It reminded her of when she came here."

"I don't think I asked before, but what happened when she came here?" Loki asked in a soft tone as not to upset Amanda more than she was.

"The spinosaur attacked the thing that humans' call a boat, it floats on water and carries them over it." Loki nodded to show that he understood what it was. "Sophia and I both saw what happened, the spinosaur kill most of Amanda's family and friends, up until recently, she thought only her and Ellie survived."

"Oh, I see." Loki sighed. "I was kind of like what happened when you nest was attacked but more deaths were involved."

"Yes," Silver Claw said mournfully. He felt Amanda's arms tighten around his neck. "Let's not speak of these happenings anymore, it is upsetting Amanda."

Loki and Sophia both nodded. A sudden and loud snap turned their attention back towards the direction they came from.

"I think they did follow us." Silver Claw said. "Where should we go?"

"Let's go to the cliffs," Amanda said between sobs. "We might be able to hide if there are rocks around the base."

Silver Claw looked to Sophia and Loki. They only tilted their head, unsure. "Ok, let's go."

They turned and ran towards the cliffs. Behind them, the herrerasaurs appeared, their heads low to the ground following the scent trail. Silver Claw, Loki and Sophia quickened their pace. A minute passed, the jungle opened slightly and that let in a small amount of light for a brief moment but the cliff soon blocked out all the remaining light and it seemed to be night again.

"Are they still after us?" Sophia asked.

A low hiss behind them confirmed it. The herrerasaurs, four of them, appeared some ways in the distance, but they were gaining ground quickly. They swerved in and out of the trees, occasionally jumping over a small hole or fallen branch.

The jungle as sparsely covered by undergrowth as deeper in the valley offer no solution to slow down the herrerasaur's pace. The cliff appeared in the distance but it was hard to see through the tree line, but at least it was visible through the jungle and not the canopy. They were almost there.

"We can't keep running for much longer Silver Claw," Loki said, "Especially you."

"I know," Silver Claw said. His legs were already beginning to burn from running so long as well as carrying Amanda. He looked back to see that Amanda had stopped crying and was looking at his eyes.

"It'll be alright," Silver Claw reassured her. "If we have to, we can fight them."

"I know," Amanda said. She tightened her grip around his neck as in a hug. Suddenly, she let got of him and rolled off to the right side, hitting the ground in a loud thud and breaking some small brush that had managed to grow in the sparse lighting conditions.

"Amanda!" Silver Claw said and nearly fell over in an attempt to stop.

Amanda however, quickly got to her feet and ran past Silver Claw. "Run," She said.

"What are you doing?" Silver Claw yelled at her as he caught up. "It was safer when you were on my back, not to mention you could have broken something!"

"But I was slowing you down," Amanda argued. "You are sore, and I should be running myself so you don't tire yourself out. Anyway, I didn't break anything, maybe bruised but not broken."

Silver Claw just shook his head. He could not change her mind and it was too late for her to get back on, the herrerasaurs were too close to stop again. All he could do was to protect her if she fell behind. Silver Claw looked forward.

Loki and Sophia were nowhere in sight. The trees near the cliff base were close together and it was hard to tell whether something was on the other side or not. Silver Claw and Amanda swerved to dodge the last tree before the cliff and had to stop.

"Over here," Sophia shouted.

Silver Claw and Amanda turned their heads to the right to see Sophia disappear behind a large boulder.

Amanda looked to Silver Claw and him to her. They locked eyes for a brief moment and smiled at each other. Both suddenly dashed towards the boulder as fast as they could. Behind them, the herrerasaurs broke through the tree line and continued the pursuit with increased momentum.

"Hurry," Sophia shouted. Her head disappeared back behind the rock.

Amanda and Silver Claw pushed harder and rounded the rock. Silver Claw almost froze when he saw that what Loki and Sophia were in looked like a cave but with an entrance like a human structure. Once inside, Amanda and Silver Claw followed, almost at a run, Sophia and Loki towards the back of the tunnel and around a small corner. A stairwell was the only path, and the construction made it difficult for anything other than humans to climb. The velociraptors had to duck their heads in order not to hit the roof or jagged points from crumbled pieces of the structure.

The light at the doorway disappeared as the herrerasaurs slowly moved into the tunnel. They hissed and grunted to one another as they slowly moved towards the back following the scent trail but weary of any hidden threats in the darkened tunnel. They reached the back and turned to the stairway but stopped. The lead animal put one foot on the steps but quickly recalled it. It looked to the others and hissed. Slowly the four turned and left the structure.

Amanda sighed heavily as she watched the herrerasaurs disappear into the jungle. Her breaths were in short heavy gasps and her limbs hurt. She turned her head to see the exhausted velociraptors strewn out on the floor taking heavy breaths and hanging their tongues out to one side or the other as they panted to cool themselves.

The stairs they climbed up lead them about ten meters up into a large chamber that connected to several other passageways, only one of which they could not enter because of a cave-in. The floor and walls were smooth. The roof boasted in an elaborate display of designs like in the building that they stayed the night in. All of which were still colored, although only barely with cracks and missing pieces.

Amanda looked back out to the jungle. She sat upon a raised piece of stone next to a large window that only at the same height as it was, would be visible. From the ground, it would only look like a protruding slab of rock. The stone was a mixture of tan and light brown in color with a hint of a darker color that was almost indistinguishable from the rest.

"How did you find this place?" Amanda asked as she stared at the resting velociraptors.

"Predators luck," Loki said. "I felt like I should go this way and we found this place. It's a good thing that herrerasaurs don't like caves too much or else we would be in trouble."

"I hope it goes all the way past the herrerasaur mating grounds," Sophia said and gestured with her head towards one passageway. "That one tunnel looks like it heads in the right direction."

Amanda suddenly remembered what she had found in the building. "Do any of you have the lighter I found earlier?"

"Oh, yeah," Loki said. He opened his mouth and spat the lighter onto the ground. He shifted his mouth distastefully and looked up. "I forgot about it."

An expression of disgust crossed Amanda's face as she looked at the drool covering the lighter. She wondered if it would work anytime soon because of what it had been through. "Where was it exactly?"

Loki opened his mouth and lifted his tongue up. "Under my tongue," he mumbled and lowered it so that he could speak properly. "It was too small to hold with my claws so that was the only other choice. I thought you might need it."

"Well thanks, I guess." Amanda said and walked over. She picked up the lighter with the ends of her fingers and whipped it clean with her shirt. "It's a good thing you didn't swallow it by accident, it would have made you sick."

"What about that green flame it made," Sophia said. "It made us feel weird and I do not want to go through it again." She looked to Loki with almost a glare. "Isn't that right?"

"That was not the lighter," Amanda said before Loki could reply. "Something was coating the bowl and when I lit the wood, it burn and filled the air. That's why it made you feel weird."

Sophia snorted and turned her head, "If you say so."

"Well, should we be going?" Silver Claw asked. "I don't want to be in here more than we have to be."

"I agree." Loki sighed. "There is something about this old human structure I don't like. It makes me feel odd, like I don't belong."

"I get that feeling a lot," Amanda commented. She glanced at the entrance of the tunnel possibly leading towards the herrerasaur mating grounds. "Is that a torch?" She moved to the passageway and tried to pick up the object but it would not budge. She took her lighter and flicked it on, touching it to the top.

Suddenly, a shower of flames rained down from the object. In bright white flash, the tunnel lit up along a railing in the middle of the inner wall. Even the distant darkness of the tunnel became lit up.

Amanda stepped back in shock. She looked to Silver Claw.

"What did you do," Sophia snapped.

"Nothing, it must have a flammable substance along that rail that lights the tunnel up so you can see." Amanda said, offended that Sophia would be so rude to her.

"Amanda, are you sure that it is not like that other stuff," Silver Claw asked softly. "We do not want to go through what we did earlier."

"I cannot be one hundred percent sure but close to it," Amanda exclaimed. "It looks like it is just a normal fire so that we can see."

"Ok," Silver Claw sighed with relief. "Let's go then."

"The tunnels a little small for more than one of us to go at a time and if we go in, I don't think we can turn around," Loki said.

"Oh, just follow me," Sophia said as she stood up and pushed past Amanda.

Amanda suddenly howled in pain and dropped to the ground. She wrapped her hands around he left calf tightly and started to cry between gasps for air.

"What did you do Sophia?" Silver Claw barked angrily.

Sophia looked down at Amanda, "Nothing."

Amanda gasped and cried louder, falling onto her back. The lighter hit the ground.

Silver Claw rushed to her side and nuzzled her head. "What's wrong Amanda?"

"My…my…leg," Amanda cried and arched her back. "It…it…hurts so…m…m… much."

Silver Claw moved his head to the leg she had been holding and gently nuzzled it. It felt odd, as if a small brick of stone was in the place of her muscle and it was twitching. Amanda cried out again only louder.

"Don't touch it," she wailed and slowly started to sit up.

Silver Claw quickly moved his head behind her back and helped her to sit. "What is wrong exactly?"

"It's a cramp," Amanda cried out as another wave of pain shot through her leg. "Unless you have an icepack, there is nothing you can do."

Silver Claw whimpered. He felt useless because he could not do anything to help ease her pain. Amanda probably felt like this when his chest acted up, he thought. Silver Claw moved behind Amanda. "If you like, you can rest your head."

Amanda leaned back. She released her leg with one hand and rubbed the tears from her eyes. "Thank you," she sobbed. "You know, I knew this was going to happen sometime, I just didn't know when." She gasped as more pain shot up her leg.

"What do you mean?" Silver Claw asked.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as another wave of pain shot through her leg. "I was in a bed for a week. After all that time not moving, of course my legs were going to cramp up from running."

"Oh," Silver Claw lovingly licker her cheek. "Do you know how long it will be until you get better? I hate seeing you in pain."

"A few minutes," Amanda replied, "But I'll be limping around for the rest of the day or so."

"That could be a problem," Loki said. He had moved to look out the window. "There are seven herrerasaurs headed this way."

"Are you sure they are going to enter the doorway down below?" Amanda asked.

"Yes, the four that chased us are part of the group and they are leading the other three here," Loki replied. He moved to the lit hallway. "We have to go."

"Alright," Amanda sighed and stood up. Almost immediately, she dropped to her knees and a steady stream of tears rolled down her face. She noticed the lighter and quickly pocketed it.

"Amanda," Silver Claw whimpered and nuzzled her bandaged neck. He laid down, "Quick, get on my back."

Amanda slowly put her hands on his back and lifted her leg, although it caused her a great deal more pain to do so, over his back. Silver Claw stood up slowly and looked to Amanda to see she was as comfortable as she could be.

He nodded to Loki. Loki turned and ran into the tunnel, Silver Claw followed behind him, and then Sophia.

The air in the hall was musty and damp. With the added heat and dim amount of light from the small fire along the wall, it made for an eerie atmosphere. After a minute, the low but loud hiss of the herrerasaur echoed through the tunnel and the patter of large feet followed.

A minute passed as the velociraptors ran down the hall. The herrerasaurs became visible at the furthest distance they could see by fire light. Amanda's pain dissipated for the most part and she could move her leg more freely with out much pain but tried to remain motionless for Silver Claw's comfort.

A low rumbling echoed through the hall. It continually grew louder until the light of day replaced the fire light. Suddenly, they moved out of the tunnel and onto a pathway leading behind a small waterfall. The thunderous sound of the crashing water filler the air and the stone underfoot became slipper.

"Slow down!" Amanda shouted over the sound of the water.

Silver Claw looked at her for a moment but slowed as they passed behind the waterfall. Silver Claw staggered slightly but kept his balance.

A lush plant although it looked dead, grew along the railing that sat at the edge of the path just behind the waterfall. Its leaves were a dark brown in color with bright green spots that resembled the color of the mold like substance covering the bowl in the old building.

Amanda noticed it and got Silver Claw to stop. She reached out, grabbed two of the large leaves, and dug out her lighter. Amanda placed one leaf on Silver Claw's back while the other she held in her hand. She quickly tossed the leaf as a soon as it caught fire, which was surprisingly fast, to the ground. Water splashed on it but the flame did not die down, instead, it burned the brighter a green like the fire in the bowl had during the morning.

"Is that…" Silver Claw started and quickly backed away several feet.

"Yes," Amanda said and stuffed the second leaf into her pocket. "Now go before it starts to affect you or me."

The herrerasaurs emerged from the tunnel and stopped. Their eyes were fixated on Silver Claw and Amanda. One stepped forward and hissed angrily.

Silver Claw turned and started to move towards the other tunnel where Sophia and Loki had stopped. A dark smoke rose into the air from the leaf. Silver Claw stopped next to Loki and Sophia.

He looked back to see the herrerasaurs stopped at the fire. The sniffed the air and looked to one another. They started to become tipsy and looked to be dizzy. One made a strange call to the others and started rubbing against the closest few herrerasaurs.

Silver Claw's eyes widened and he quickly turned away, and in doing so, forced Amanda to look away as well. Loki and Sophia paused for a moment and quickly moved into the tunnel, passing Silver Claw and Amanda.

The tunnel was larger that the other one and could easily fit four velociraptors side by side. Carvings marked either side of the hall, though the color was long gone. Small rectangular windows at the top allowed a dim light to filter into the passageway. There pace was slowed but not to the point of walking.

A cool breeze swept through the tunnel, carrying with it a strange smell that was somewhat intoxicating. The velociraptors recognized it immediately and rushed forward before they inhaled enough of it to affect them. After the air was clear of the smell, they slowed again. Loki and Sophia were looking at Amanda.

"Did you know that plant was the same as what was in that old building?" Loki asked to break the silence.

"I had a thought that it might be because of the green spots on the leaf," Amanda shrugged her shoulders.

"You risked Silver Claw's life to burn a plant that could have…" Sophia wandered off.

"It stopped the herrerasaurs didn't it?" Amanda said. "If Silver Claw had not turned away, I would have found out what it did to you."

"It's a good thing he did turn away then," Sophia snorted. "I think I see the exit up ahead."

"Really," Amanda squinted but could not see anything at the distance. "I don't see anything."

"That's because you cannot see as far as we can," Sophia stated. "It looks like there are two paths we can take."

"You're being a little quiet," Amanda said to Silver Claw. "What do you think?"

"I don't know, let's see what we can do when we get there," Silver Claw said in a low tone.

"What's wrong Silver Claw," Amanda asked softly. She rubbed the base of his skull.

He turned his head. "I'm a little dizzy and those caving are moving. It should pass soon."

Sophia moved closer to him. "How much of that stuff did you inhale?"

"Not too much," Silver Claw said and turned his head to look at her. "It's not enough to make me feel as weird as it did earlier."

Sophia sighed. She quickened her pace and moved ahead.

Suddenly, a low rumble shook the tunnel. Chunks of the roof collapsed and shattered on the ground. A large crack formed in the wall where the windows let in the light. It became quiet. A foul smell filler the air.

"I think we should get out of here now," Silver Claw said nervously.

"I agree," Loki added.

They quickened there pace and soon reached what Sophia said to be the exit. In fact, it was another chamber leading up, down, or straight ahead. The window was hard to see out of because of a dark fog like cloud. A loud sheik sounded outside.

"I think you were right Sophia," Amanda said. "It did lead to the herrerasaur breeding grounds."

Sophia did not respond. She was listening to something in the distance. Her eyes suddenly widened. "We have to get moving," she whispered. "The herrerasaurs know we're here."

"Which way," Loki asked.

"Amanda," Silver Claw questioned. "You choose the right area to find this place so..."

"Uh," Amanda looked at two of the paths. "Let's go…up."

"Ok," Silver Claw said and started for the stairway leading up. Loki soon followed and then Sophia, although she was more hesitant.

The air became warm and dry. The floor was rough and just as warm as the air surrounding it. Although it was dark, it was not hard to navigate the stairs as the walls became warmer. At the top of the stairs, a faint light appeared. As they reached the top, the air became unbearably hot with almost not moisture. Silver Claw began to pant and Amanda began to sweat. She hopped of Silver Claw and limped remaining few steps.

When they reached the top, they stepped onto a bridge and looked over the edge. They gasped at what they saw. The bridge crossed the gap between a chasm, at the base of which rippled like water, a flow of molten rock. A second bridge below was not much more than two pieces of the arch that once was a bridge. A crack sounded as a large bubble burst on the surface sending the liquid rock onto the remaining parts of the bridge.

A herrerasaur stepped out of the doorway to the lower bridge and looked around. It sniffed the air cautiously and stepped forward. With a thunderous crack, the bridge gave way and the herrerasaur fell into the molten rock. Its screams of pain quickly faded as the body caught fire and slowly sank under the surface.

"I think we should get off this bridge," Amanda said. "I'm surprised it hasn't fallen like that one."

"Yeah," Silver Claw said. "That is one thing I do not want to experience."

They quickly moved to the other side of the bridge, treading carefully on the old stone. A sigh of relief sounded when they were safely on the other side of the chasm. Amanda looked back to the other door to see that nothing followed them and it was in fact safe.

"Where does this lead?" Sophia asked as she looked up another stairwell. "I hope to the surface."

Amanda wiped the sweat from her brow. "I never though I would miss the cold jungle air so much."

Silver Claw sighed. "I know," he panted. "Let's get out of here, I'm feeling a little light headed."

"Ok," Amanda said. "It's probably the heat."

"Yeah, probably," he said and started up the stairs. Amanda, Loki and Sophia soon followed.

So much death, Amanda thought grimly, and this heat, it is unbearable but we had to pass through it to survive. To survive, she thought. I will have to get used to that term again. Everything I now do is to survive. In my old life, I would do things for the joy of doing them, now, I do thing not because I want to but because I have to. I am becoming a better person, one that does thing out of necessity and not greed. Yet, I can still find time to enjoy my new life.

The stairway evened out and soon they found themselves traveling down a well-lit tunnel. A bright light at the end indicated the exit.

Silver Claw cautiously peered out and soon signaled the rest to follow. Amanda gawked at where they were. The stairs and tunnel had leaded them to the top of the cliff, more yet they were near the end of the valley. The sun was setting on the horizon and sky was painted in golden hues. A few stars dotted the sky.

"Wow," Amanda said. "It's beautiful."

"Just like you," Silver Claw commented.

Amanda blushed. She pushed playfully on his head and turned around to see that a small hill lead to the top of the ridge where a single tree sat. Its leaves were tinted several different colors by the setting sun.

"I think we should rest of the night," Amanda said. "It's been a long day."

Sophia and Loki nodded. "Do you have a place in mind?"

Amanda pointed to the tree at the top of the hill. "We could see the surrounding area well and if it is at the top of a steep hill on the other side we would be safer."

"Ok, we'll check it out." Silver Claw said and started up the hill.

The air was humid and cool at the top. The tree was the lone figure atop the hill. The surrounding grasses were short and the hill barren of all other plants. The view looked over two valleys, the one they had passed through and the one that Silver Claw followed the edge to reach the southern area of the island.

Loki and Sophia laid themselves adjacent to each other with their sights on the surrounding hillsides. Silver Claw curled up at the base of the tree. He faced the sunset and tilted his head upwards so that the sun warmed his neck.

Amanda sat between his front arms. Silver Claw lowered his head and softly rested it on her left shoulder. Amanda kissed him lovingly on his scaly cheek and leaned her head against his. Together, they watched the sunset.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: Please Review.


	27. The Long Night

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 27: The Long Night

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: Twice, the files for this chapter were corrupted and destroyed so I had to start over. I have a new story that I posted, Isla Muerta. I was working on the story long before I started Jurassic Park Broken Lives and some thing you may see similar between them later on. Please Review.

_Warning: Graphic Ending_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Amanda," Silver Claw whispered. "Amanda, wake up."

Amanda groaned and slowly opened her eyes to see Silver Claw standing over her. Behind him, the sky sat like a twilight tapestry woven amongst the thousands of stars. It was a cloudless night and the moon illuminated everything in a pale glow.

"What is it?" Amanda moaned.

"I want to show you something," Silver Claw whispered. He looked to the left towards Loki and Sophia. "I don't want to wake them though."

Amanda sat up slowly. "What do you want to show me?"

"It's a surprise," Silver Claw said with a smile. "I don't want to ruin it by telling you."

Amanda gave a soft laugh and rubbed his chin. "Where is it?" She asked.

"Not far from here," Silver Claw replied. "I checked the area so it is safe for us to leave for a little bit."

"Ok," Amanda sighed. She slowly started stand up but dropped to her one knee.

"Amanda, what's wrong?" Silver Claw questioned and moved his head next to hers.

"My leg is a little weak at the moment," Amanda replied. "Could you help me up?"

Silver Claw moved his body to her side so that she could lean on his back to stand.

"Thanks," Amanda exclaimed. She placed her hand on his back and pulled herself to her feet. An odd smell struck her and she stopped half way, it was musty and strong.

"Amanda, what is it?" Silver Claw asked.

Amanda paused for a moment. She shook her head and got up the rest of the way. "Nothing," she said softly.

"Would you like me to carry until we are there?" Silver Claw asked kindly. "If your leg is bothering you, you should not be walking on it too much."

"Ok," Amanda said and placed her hand on his back. Using her good leg, she jumped slightly and set herself on his back. Silver Claw grunted slightly. "Sorry," Amanda said.

Silver Claw turned his head to look at her. "That's alright. Ready?"

Amanda nodded and Silver Claw moved towards the slope of the hill away from the herrerasaur breeding grounds. The ground became steep quickly and Silver Claw slowed his pace so that he did not fall. Once he reached the bottom, he quickened his pace and moved into the jungle.

Amanda ducked her head to dodge the branches. She smelled the strong musty aroma again. It was coming from Silver Claw. What did he do to smell like this? Amanda thought. His was normally clean because she asked him to be. Especially after, he fell into something while she was on nest duty during the first week at the nesting ground.

"Silver Claw," Amanda started. "I don't mean to be rude but…you smell."

She saw Silver Claw's feathers dropped and then his head. "I hoped you wouldn't notice."

"Did you fall in something?" Amanda asked softly.

"No," Silver Claw said softly.

"You didn't smell like this morning," Amanda stated, "What happened?"

"I did smell like this, this morning," Silver Claw said. He turned his head to look at her. "You could not smell it then, Loki and Sophia could."

"What is it?" Amanda asked and pushed away a large fern.

"Well…it means that I am now a full adult, a young one but and adult." Silver Claw stopped walking. "That smell is a response to Sophia being in heat."

"She's in heat?" Amanda questioned, though she was not too surprise to hear it.

"Yes, a few days now." Silver Claw said. "I guess I should have told you sooner, though I was not sure myself until today."

"Well at least I know." Amanda sighed and looked around briefly, "Why did you stop?"

"Because we're close to the spot," Silver Claw replied. "I want you to close your eyes before I go any further."

"Ok," Amanda rolled her eyes but closed them. She slowly opened one slightly when she felt his neck muscles move so his head was away from her.

"Close it," Silver Claw said teasingly.

"Fine," Amanda smiled and closed her eye. She put a hand over her face as Silver Claw moved into the wall of foliage. Several small branches brushed against her and then nothing.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Amanda asked.

"One moment," Silver Claw said. He straightened his legs and stiffed his back. "Ok Amanda, now you can."

Amanda slowly opened her eyes and gasped at the beauty. Before her was a massive plain of tall grasses that waved slightly in the breeze. A long line of trees ran from north to south on the side closest to the cliffs and between them, a thick jungle. Amanda turned her to her left to see that the plain reached almost to the buildings in the south that she could just make out by the faint light that emanated from the center of a cluster of trees.

She turned her attention closer and to a large cliff that ran towards the south. She leaned forward as her eyes drew closer and used Silver Claw to brace herself from falling off. Silver Claw was close to the edge, to close for Amanda's comfort. At the base of the cliff, a pile of jagged rocks sat like a spiny trap for anything clumsy enough to fall. Her gaze soon turned north and followed the cliff to the point of which she could see the ocean. She soon looked back to the plain.

"It's beautiful," Amanda exclaimed.

"There's more," Silver Claw said. "See the trees moving on the other side, watch what is going to come out."

Amanda stared attentively. She could not see the trees moving as well as Silver Claw could but she saw the area his attention fixated at, or at least she thought it was. A minute passed until something finally emerged from the moonlit jungle onto the plain. The creature had a long slender neck and bulky body with a long whip like tail. It let out a long sweet call that echoed across the field and had a soothing effect.

"There are some more," Silver Claw stated. "I think at least five more are still moving towards the plain."

"What are they?" Amanda questioned. If she had her booklet, she would look to find out.

"I believe you said they were called mamenchisaurus," Silver Claw replied. "They are far too large for velociraptors to hunt or give much notice to."

"I thought that," Amanda said. "Maybe I should give it a try with my good hunting record." She laughed.

"I don't know," Silver Claw said. "It might outrun you Amanda."

"Are you calling me slow," Amanda reddened. She leaned forward so that her head was close to his. She shifted her nose uncomfortably because of the scent.

Silver Claw turned his head, grinning. "Maybe," He laughed.

"Are your ribs bothering you?" Amanda questioned.

"No. Why?"

Amanda slipped of Silver Claw and moved towards the jungle.

Silver Claw cocked his head and turned to follow her. He quickly caught up to her. "Where are you going?" He asked.

Amanda suddenly spun around and grabbed hold of his neck. She lifted her legs and pulled Silver Claw to the ground. Silver Claw hit the ground and snorted. He tried to stand but Amanda had already moved to his back and hooked her legs under his so that he could not move them. Silver Claw felt Amanda put her chin on the top of his head.

"Slow am I?" Amanda teased. "You can't get up now."

"How…" Silver Claw said shocked. "I didn't know you could move like that."

"It hurt my leg some more but it was worth it." Amanda sighed. "I saw someone do this kind of thing on TV while I was in the hospital."

"I'm sure I can get up," Silver Claw said. He started to push up with his forearms but Amanda quickly moved arms and pulled his up to his neck.

"You can't now," Amanda remarked. "You're completely helpless."

Silver Claw squirmed slightly and suddenly gasped. A shiver went through his body and he yelped.

"What is it?" Amanda questioned and released his arms.

"My chest," Silver Claw wheezed.

Amanda quickly got off him and placed her hand on his head. "Are you ok?"

Silver Claw grinned and twisted his body so that his tail pushed her to the ground. He then quickly put his body on top of hers, though more on one side so that she could breath. One of Amanda's hands was beneath his stomach. Silver Claw's grin widened, "Got you."

"That wasn't fair Silver Claw!" Amanda lightly pushed on his head with her free arm. "I though you might be hurt."

Silver Claw purred and rubbed his head against her head. "You can hurt me my love," he teased, "At least not with those arms."

Amanda's face reddened more and she pushed harder against Silver Claw's head. "Watch it. These arms brought you to the ground."

"No, your weight did," Silver Claw joked. He licked her face and hummed.

"Oh, that's it!" Amanda said.

Silver Claw cocked his head and suddenly his eyes widened. His bottom lip trembled slightly and the muscles under his eyes twitched. His back leg kicked but quickly, he dug his claws into the ground to stop it.

"Oh, you're going to give in," Amanda said. "It just takes time."

Finally, Silver Claw started to chirp loudly in a repeating rhythm. He lessened the weight he put on Amanda and suddenly found himself on his back. Amanda was staring down at him. He tried to move but she had him pinned down with her legs on each side of his body. Amanda leaned down and put her elbows on each side of his head. She locked her fingers and rested her chin on them. She gazed down at him for a moment and sighed.

"I told you," She said. "Now, you have to beg if you want up."

"Never," Silver Claw snorted. He tried to hook her shirt using his legs but they could not bend far enough with her leaning forward. "Get off me." He squirmed. The only way he could get free would hurt her.

"Not until you beg me," Amanda grinned.

"No, I will never beg." Silver Claw replied. He shivered slightly. "I think my chest is acting up."

"I'm not falling for it again Silver Claw." Amanda sighed.

"No, I'm not lying," Silver Claw said sternly.

"I don't care," Amanda said. "I'm not letting you up until you beg for me to let you get up."

Silver Claw snorted. "You aren't falling for it at all are you?"

"Nope," Amanda smiled. "Now come on, it wouldn't kill you to beg."

"No, but that will," Silver Claw snapped his head to the tree line.

Amanda straightened her back. Silver Claw grinned. She had moved her legs just enough to get himself free. Silver Claw rolled himself over and stood up. Amanda gasped and almost screamed when he stood up.

"Like I said," Silver Claw chirped repeatedly. "I don't beg."

Amanda frowned but wrapped her arms around his neck. She yawned loudly and rested her head against his neck. "I think we should get back now, I'm tired and we have a long way to go tomorrow."

"Alright," Silver Claw turned his head and rubbed it against Amanda's shoulder gently.

"We should hurry though. We don't want Loki and Sophia to wake up and find us missing." Amanda yawned again. She tightened her grip.

"Ok," Silver Claw whispered and turned his attention back to the jungle.

Amanda ducked her head behind his neck to avoid the foliage. Once they were deeper into the jungle it opened up, she moved her head neck to his neck. Silver Claw stopped moving and looked around.

"What is it?" She asked tiredly.

"I don't know," Silver Claw sniffed the air. He lifted his head high and tilted it to one side and the other, listening. "I don't know what it is, but it is getting closer."

"A carnivore?" Amanda questioned worriedly and sat up.

"No, it's not an animal, at least none that I have heard." Silver Claw started to run towards the hill.

"Why are you running," Amanda questioned.

"I don't know what it is and you can't hear it," Silver Claw stated. "It would be safer if we were at the hill with Loki and Sophia."

"Alright," Amanda said and held him tightly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sunayana shifted uncomfortably in her new nest. Her breathing quickened and her eyes shot open. She panted and looked around uneasily.

It was quiet. The others of the pack were asleep in their nests. The air was humid but calm in the structure. She missed the wind against her scales on a late night when she could not sleep. For now, she would have to put up with it though.

Sunayana yawned, exposing her sharp teeth. She shifted her jaws and slowly stood up. Sunayana slowly made her way to the stream and looked around briefly before lowering her head and dipping her lower jaw under the water. She tilted her head back and swallowed it. The cool liquid soothed her body and calmed her.

"Can't sleep either?"

Sunayana turned to see her mate standing behind her. She sighed, "You startled me."

"Sorry," he said softly and bowed his head.

Sunayana rolled her eyes. "I told you don't have to do that."

"I know." Blaze sighed. "What's on your mind?"

"Several things," Sunayana replied and gently set herself down on the soft grasses.

"What is bothering you the most," Blaze asked and set himself down next to her.

"I'm worried about what's going to happen next if we don't find that raptor," Sunayana exclaimed. "We can't be alone anymore because of him and if we are, there is a chance that we could end up like Grey."

Blaze gently nuzzled her neck and purred softly. "Don't worry my love, that raptor will die a slow painful death for what he has done to our pack."

"I know." Sunayana sighed. "I just wish he would leave us be, those eggs he destroyed were only days from hatching."

"I know, I know." He said softly and gently set his head on top of hers.

Sunayana purred softly and leaned against him. "I hope we may have children of our own someday."

Blaze licked her neck tenderly and then leaned against her. "You only have to ask."

"I know," Sunayana said. "We should wait until we have a proper home."

"Ok," Blaze purred.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw broke through the tree line and started up the slope, though at a slower pace. Once he reached the top, he was relieved to see that Sophia and Loki were still asleep. Silver Claw lowered himself so that Amanda could get off and he quickly stood back up.

"Where is the sound coming from?" Amanda asked. She used Silver Claw for balance briefly.

"Out there," Silver Claw gestured to the ocean.

"Maybe they made it to the building," Amanda said enthusiastically. "I thought I may have seen the lights on in the direction they were at."

"Maybe they did then, that would mean they made it past the pack." Silver Claw said and tilted his head. His attention fixated on one spot and soon he saw it. "I see it."

"Well, can you tell what it is?" Amanda questioned.

"Yes, it one of those helicopters," Silver Claw stated. "And there is something else in the ocean behind it."

"A boat," Amanda stated. "What would they need a boat for?"

"What were they doing before there stuff was destroyed? I can remember if I heard it."

"Capturing dinosaurs to take back to the mainland," Amanda gasped. "You don't think they capture the velociraptor pack by the building do you?"

"I don't know," Silver Claw said. "I can see several more helicopters though."

"What are you two talking about," Sophia said softly.

Silver Claw and Amanda looked to see that Sophia and Loki were both awake. Sophia stretched out before standing up. Loki continued to lie lazily on the ground.

"What are those?" Sophia asked as she moved next to Silver Claw.

"Helicopters and a boat," Amanda said. "The people made it to the building."

"Oh," Sophia sighed and turned away. She moved to the tree and rubbed up against it. Her scales made a scratching sound.

"What is she doing?" Amanda whispered.

"Marking her scent so that everything around will know she is in heat," Silver Claw replied.

"Are you able to mark you scent like that?" Amanda asked.

"You smell just like me," Silver Claw said.

"What, I though that was because I was near you," Amanda exclaimed.

Silver Claw could not help but laugh. "Sorry Amanda."

"Well I guess you can mark your territory like that when we are at the northern part of the island," Amanda remarked.

"No, I do that a different way," Silver Claw said and looked at the helicopters. The one had grown to about a dozen.

"One of them is carrying a cage," Amanda said. "It's far too large to hold velociraptors."

Amanda sat down and watched as the helicopters disappeared from sight behind the ridge to her right. The ship stopped some ways away from shore. Something on the deck opened up, though from the distance, it was impossible to tell.

"It's sure taking them a while to load up the people," Amanda remarked after a few minutes passed. "You'd think they would want to get out of there as quickly as possible."

"Well there were a lot of humans," Silver Claw said. "Maybe we'll see Sarah again if she looks for you to say goodbye."

"I don't think she would," Amanda said. "She knows I can take care of myself."

Silver Claw gently nuzzled Amanda's neck. "Can your bandages come off?"

"Yes, I think so," Amanda said. "They're too dirty to stay on anyway."

Amanda reached up and slowly pulled at one part and it soon gave way. She slowly unwrapped the dressing. She felt her skin. It was soft and warm with small bumps where scabs had formed. A small breeze blew by and she shivered.

"It feels ok," Amanda said. "How does it look?"

"Will those bumps go away," Silver Claw asked.

"Yes," Amanda said. "It just needs to heal some more."

The roar of a helicopter grew louder and soon from the south, the helicopter emerged from behind the ridge. It slowly tuned north flew over the jungle, searching.

Silver Claw tilted his head. "I guess I was right."

"I guess so," Amanda said in disbelief. "I don't think they will find us though. They are nowhere near us."

The helicopter continued to circle a small area of the jungle before moving onto another. As the helicopter neared, a small dome like object became visible. It was black in color but looked like silver in the moonlight.

"What is that underneath it?" Silver Claw asked. "I did not see it on the others that were around."

"I don't know, maybe some kind of sensor," Amanda said. "They better hope those pteranodons do not spot them."

Another engine sounded from the south and a helicopter emerged. It was smaller in build and had one door open that closed as the helicopter flew out over the ocean.

"There goes another one," Amanda said.

"That one over the jungle is coming this way," Silver Claw remarked.

Amanda looked to it, one of its doors opened. Something glinted in the moonlight and suddenly a loud thud sounded nearby. Amanda looked over to see a silver dart in the ground next to Silver Claw.

"Run," Amanda shouted.

Silver Claw hissed loudly but followed Amanda. Loki and Sophia quickly caught up and they headed towards the jungle. They did not waste time but slowing down as they reached the hill. They quickly entered the jungle and continue for a few moments then stopped.

"They shot at us," Amanda said in disbelief. "Why would they do that?"

The sound of the helicopter quickly grew until it was overhead. It stopped and hovered. The sound of the door opening sounded above and a voice called out.

"Amanda," someone shouted. It was someone she did not recognize. "We know you're there. By order of Peter Ludlow, you are to come out with your pets. You and those animals are to be taken to San Diego and be part of the Jurassic Park complex there."

Amanda looked to Silver Claw. They were after him and she could not let them take him. Amanda pushed herself tightly against a tree and kept her eye on the canopy.

"Answer me," the voice called out. "We can see your heat signature with your three pets."

Amanda gasped and looked to Silver Claw. "That black thing at the bottom of the helicopter can see our body heat."

Silver Claw's head tilted in confusion but soon he nodded.

"If you do not come out peacefully, we are prepared to send several armed men to get you." The voice called out. After a moment, something hit the canopy and Amanda moved out of the way, as a rope fell from the tree.

"We have to get out of her," Amanda said.

Silver Claw nodded and gestured for her to get on his back. Amanda did so. Silver Claw quickly moved north. Loki and Sophia quickly followed and so did the helicopter after it brought up the rope.

"Do you know anywhere we could go?" Sophia asked.

Amanda felt a shiver run the length of his body as he began to speak. "I found a large cave we could hide in until they are gone."

"Where is it," Loki asked.

"Up ahead," Silver Claw replied. "We should be near it in a few moments but it is open a little bit between the cave and the tree line so we must hurry."

"Ok," Loki said.

Amanda tilted her head up to see that the helicopter was directly overhead. I hope we can make it, Amanda thought. She did not want Silver Claw or the others to be shot and take from the island. Nevertheless, the person had bad aim and could hit her in an attempt at Silver Claw, and that could kill her if it were too much.

The jungle suddenly opened up and they were in front of the cave's entrance. Amanda looked back to see the helicopter stop and hover as they entered. It could not follow and its device could not penetrate the rock well enough to follow them.

Amanda sighed as Silver Claw slowed down after they were in about fifty meters. Sophia and Loki soon stopped and looked at Silver Claw.

"You were supposed to be keeping watch Silver Claw," Loki said sternly. Sophia nodded in agreement.

"I checked the area before I went exploring," Silver Claw argued. "It's a good thing I found this place too."

"Yes it is." Loki sighed. "Thank you."

Silver Claw nodded his head and looked to the entrance.

The helicopter still hovered near the entrance and suddenly, four ropes dropped to the ground and four men dropped to the ground. Each had a rifle across his back, camouflaged clothing and black goggles of which the lenses glowed green. They headed towards the cave and readied their rifles.

"They won't give up, will they?" Sophia remarked.

"We have to go," Amanda said. "We have to loose them in the cave."

"And if we can't," Sophia stated. Her killing claws raised and she showed her teeth.

"Try just to disarm them," Amanda said.

"No promises," Sophia snorted.

Silver Claw turned around and moved deeper into the cave. Loki and Sophia soon passed him.

"They're aiming their weapons at us," Loki said as he passed them. "It looks like the have something that can see us."

"It's those goggles," Amanda looked back to see the men running into the cave. "Duck," Amanda said and dropped her head, as did the velociraptors.

The sound of metal against stone echoed through the cave. The area quickly became dark and even Silver Claw had trouble seeing. The heavy footsteps of the men were gaining. Only the fluorescent green glow indicated where the men were exactly.

"Where are we going to go?" Sophia questioned. "I will not be going back in a cage!"

"I don't know," Silver Claw said.

They rounded a corner and a dim light materialized in the distance. As they grew closer, it became obvious that the area was open to the sky, maybe even the exit. The men behind them rounded the corner and fired again. The dart missed and hit a rock, ricocheting downward and shattering on the ground.

As they grew within a dozen meters of the lighted area, it revealed that it was in fact part of the cave. A large slab of stone rose up by the entrance and divided the cavern in two.

"Which way do you think Amanda," Silver Claw asked.

Amanda looked back and fourth at both sides. "Let's split up, it will be easier to get them if they are not grouped together."

Silver Claw moved to the right side while Loki and Sophia moved to the left. The men soon stopped at the entrance, their voices were indistinct but they separated into two groups.

Silver Claw swerved around several large boulders but had to stop. A wall of rock rose up before him. It was as smooth as glass with a rippled appearance.

"We're trapped," Silver Claw muttered. "What do we do?"

Amanda looked around desperately and then she noticed a platform the lead into a hole in the cavern wall. It was about three meters off the ground.

"What about that?" Amanda asked.

Silver Claw looked at it. "It's too far for me to jump with both of us."

"Then jump," Amanda said and slid off him.

"I'm not leaving you Amanda," Silver Claw exclaimed.

"Silver Claw," Amanda placed her hand on his head. "They won't hurt me, they need me."

"But," Silver Claw started. A loud scream sounded some distance away, on the other side. A loud barking of a velociraptor quickly followed, then another scream and silence.

"Go!" Amanda commanded.

Silver Claw lowered his feathers but jumped onto the ledge and he quickly disappeared from sight.

Amanda spun around to see the two men with their rifles aimed outward. They no longer wore the goggles but had them around their necks. They moved out from behind a large boulder and quickly looked around before moving. The two men quickly looked behind the rocks around Amanda but when they turned up empty handed, they moved to Amanda.

"Where is it?" The one who appeared to be the leaded commanded.

"Where's what?" Amanda said innocently.

"You know what I'm talking about girl." He shouldered his rifle. "Now tell me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Amanda said firmly.

She suddenly cried out in pain as the man backhanded her. "I'm not kidding around here," he said. "Tell me or else."

"Or else what," Amanda exclaimed as she rubbed her sore cheek.

Amanda cried out again as he hit her again. Amanda then felt his hand around her throat. She began to choke.

"Mr. Ludlow wants her alive," the other man said. He kept an eye on the surrounding area.

The man choking Amanda grunted and shoved Amanda against the wall of the cave. Amanda fell to the floor and burst into tears.

The man grinned. "You don't happen to recall in what condition we were to bring her to Mr. Ludlow, do you?"

"No sir," the other man said. "I only remember him saying to bring her to him."

"Good," the man said. He knelt by Amanda. His gaze moved from her face downward. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Amanda's eyes widened. She screamed and kicked him in the shins. It only made him grin. The man grabbed her ankles and puller her away from the wall. The man forced Amanda onto her back and used on hand to cover her mouth. Amanda bit down as hard as she could.

The man pulled his hand away. "You're going to pay for that you little bitch!" He cursed her several more times and backhanded her.

Amanda managed to slip one hand behind her back and she pulled out the knife. She swung at him but did not get far. The man twisted her arm and tossed the knife several feet away. A sharp pain in wrist made a steady stream of tears roll down her face.

Amanda screamed and swung out with her fist. She hit him in the chest but he did not even flinch. Amanda felt his hand grasp the collar of her shirt and pull, the material tore. Suddenly, his hand grabbed her exposed breast and she screamed and struggled even more.

"What the hell," the other man said but suddenly screamed in pain.

The man on top of Amanda turned around to see that Loki and Sophia had pinned the man to the ground. Amanda managed to wriggle out from under the man as he reached for his rifle. Amanda pressed herself against the wall.

A dark blur pounced on the man and held him to the ground. It was Silver Claw. His breath was heavy and filled with anger. His teeth were showing and his claws ready to kill.

He made sure the man could not move and looked to Amanda. "What did he do?"

Amanda tried to speak but it came out muffled in her sobbing. She took in a deep breath and said, in English, "He tried to mate with me and he beat me and..." She started to cry even louder.

Silver Claw forced the man to roll over onto his back. He roared at him and placed his killing claw where his ribs met. Silver Claw looked to Amanda. He saw how several spots on her smooth complexion were beginning to bruise. "Shall I kill him for his atrocities he did to you?"

In English, Amanda said, "Yes, kill him."

The man's face paled. Silver Claw slowly turned his head back to the man and hissed. Drool dripped from Silver Claw's jaw and rolled down the man's right cheek. Suddenly, a loud blood-chilling scream echoed through the cavern. Silver Claw pulled his leg back and opened a lengthily wound through the man's gut.

His screams forced the other man to start pleading for his life. Silver Claw slowly stepped away from the man but suddenly sank his snout into the bleeding wound. The man screamed louder as Silver Claw pulled his snout out of the man with the intestines locked in his maw. With a sharp twist of his head, Silver Claw ripped a large chunk out and swallowed it.

The man started to wheeze and gasp as the loss of blood began to take affect. His face pale so much so that it seemed to lack any color. Silver Claw growled and looked down at the man. His blood dripped from Silver Claw's maw and landed on his cheek.

Silver Claw snorted and watched as the man drew his last breath and his eyes rolled up. Silver Claw showed his teeth and growled with satisfaction. The pleading of the other man drew his attention. Silver Claw hissed.


	28. Nightmares and the Goodbye

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 28: Nightmares and the Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: It may take longer for me to update this story because I am working on others as well like Isla Muerta and an Eragon X Saphira story, Secret of Doru Araeba. As always, any suggestions to help my writing or suggestions for further chapters are welcome. For anyone who has not noticed, I added to chapter one and two. Please Review.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw's breath was heavy and deep. Fresh blood dripped from his jaws. His eyes fixated on the man pleading for his life as the blood from his dead comrade pooled towards him.

"What are we going to do to this one," Sophia asked. She pushed down on the man's back with her foot and watched him squirm. The blood from her claws was staining the man's clothing while saliva dripped from her maw onto his head.

Silver Claw licked the blood from his maw and looked back at Amanda. She had her hands over her face as she continued to cry. Silver Claw noticed the long rip in her shirt that destroyed part of her sleeve. A large chunk of the material hung loosely at the bottom of the tear from her neck to under her ribs. It exposed half of her chest. The exposed skin was a light red because of her attacker.

Silver Claw's expression softened as he looked upon his wounded mate. Sorrow filled him and he slowly walked up to her with his head lowered. He gently touched his snout to her arm but she screamed. Silver Claw winced and pulled back slight with his head turned away.

He slowly turned his head to face her again. Her face was pale with fright. Her hair hung down her face in clumps that clung to the moistened skin. Her breath was ragged and came in gasps. A steady stream of tears rolled down her face and an expression of sheer terror replaced her normally elegant smile.

"Amanda…" Silver Claw said softly.

Her eyes closed and she cried some more. It was hard to know if she would speak at all, even if it were to him.

Silver Claw laid himself next to her and gently touched his head to her shoulder. "What did he do to you?" Silver Claw said angrily under his breath. He never saw what happened; only that she was in pain and he had to do something about.

"Silver Claw," Sophia said. "What about this one?"

"I don't know," Silver Claw replied softly.

Suddenly, Amanda wrapped her arms around Silver Claw's neck and pulled him tightly against her body. Amanda buried her head into his neck and her cries became softer. Silver Claw could not help but whimper.

He was helpless to her pain, her suffering, and her emotions. The pain she felt was his to share. Her tears rolled down his neck, scaring not his body but mind. Silver Claw lifted his forearms and tried to embrace her like she had him but his arms would not bend far enough to do so. They burned as if someone cut them with very sharp teeth.

"Silver Claw," He heard from the muffled cries. "Don't leave me."

"I never will," Silver Claw replied softly. He started to hum softly.

Her crying softened some more and she tightened her grip on him. She held him so tightly that Silver Claw could feel her heart beat.

"Please," the man begged. "I have a wife and four children. Please don't kill me."

Silver Claw looked at the man and snorted.

"I never touched her, I swear." He pleaded. "Please, I have children."

Silver Claw snorted and gently rubbed his head against Amanda's neck. "Shall we release him?"

Amanda did not reply.

Silver Claw slowly looked to the man. A small crack turned Silver Claw's attention to the corpse of the other man. Loki had his snout in the bleeding wound. With a quick jerk of his head, Loki tossed back a large chunk of flesh. He looked at Silver Claw for a moment and then stuck his head back into the wound.

"I don't know Sophia," Silver Claw sighed as he looked back to Sophia. "He says he didn't touch Amanda but… I don't know…"

"But he didn't stop it either," Sophia exclaimed.

Silver Claw snorted. She was right; he was just as much to blame.

A loud screech sounded from high above. Silver Claw shuddered. The pteranodons were near by. A heavy flapping sounded near the opening to the sky above but it soon stopped.

Silver Claw scanned the edge of the rock until he saw it. A full-grown pteranodon perched on a small protruding slab near the top. It seemed that its attention was on the other side of the cave rather than towards them.

"What's it doing?" Sophia asked softly.

"You killed the two other humans right?"

Sophia nodded.

"It's looking that way." Silver Claw answered. "I think it's just the one though."

"We should leave then," Loki said. Blood poured from his lower jaw and splashed on the floor.

Several screeches sounded and the dim moonlight that entered the cave, disappeared. Silver Claw watched as the perched pteranodon leapt from the cliff and dove towards where he assumed the bodies were as the others swarmed around the area.

"Amanda," Silver Claw said softly. "We have to leave, could you get on my back?"

Amanda tightened her grip but slowly climbed onto his back. Once Amanda was as comfortable as she could get, he slowly stood up. He moved towards the boulder leading towards the way they came in.

"Loki, Sophia, let's go." Silver Claw sighed.

"What about this one," Sophia said. "He still has a weapon under him."

"Destroy it," Silver Claw replied.

Sophia rolled the man onto his back and held him there while she sank her teeth into the gun. She bit down as hard as she could but only dented the barrel. She let go of it when she started to bleed.

"It's too tough, I can't bite through it." Sophia sighed reluctantly. She grabbed the weapon with her jaws and tossed it towards where she jumped down. It hit the rock short of the top and discharged. Sparks showered off several rocks and the sound echoed.

Loki groaned as the flapped moved towards were they were. He moved past Silver Claw and headed towards the cave.

Silver Claw quickly followed behind him and Sophia soon after. They swerved between the rocks and in moments, they were safely in the cave. Silver Claw stopped and looked back. The pteranodons must have seen them, why did they not follow.

A scream sounded and several screeches followed. Three pteranodons flew away from the area holding a large chunk of something in their beaks. Silver Claw turned away and moved deeper into the cave.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ellie winced as the needle broke her skin. A tear formed in the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek. This was the eleventh time they needed blood from her in the last month and she was tired of it. Of course, she wanted the cure for DX but it was painful to get it. It would be much easier if she were not the only one infected but the only others infected were on Isla Sorna.

Suddenly, she felt dizzy and sick. A bead of sweat formed on her brow and rolled down the side of her nose. As the needle pulled out of her arm, an unnerving quiver went down her spine. She could feel the cold metal as it slid out from within her arm.

"Alright," said the man who drew her blood. "We're done." He placed a bandage over the wound and put the needle in a bin.

Ellie groaned.

"Feeling dizzy again," he said sympathetically.

"Yeah," Ellie sighed.

"Would you like me to bring you an ice pack or a drink?" He asked.

"No," Ellie straightened herself in the chair. "I'll be fine in a few minutes."

"Alright," he stood up and walked towards the door with the veil of her blood and the case with the used needle. "I'll be back in a moment. I just have to take this to the labs, ok?"

Ellie nodded and looked around. The room was a snow-white color with a glossy appearance. Only a few things were in the room, a desk covered in different things, three chairs, a computer, and a phone. A bright light situated right above her in the ceiling and was the only light source besides the computer screen.

Ellie sighed as she thought back upon her time on Isla Sorna. She longed for the freedom that she had there. At home, she had to follow the strict rules and the manners of a high-income family. However, it was funny that the first time she saw her family again, she spoke to them in raptor and her father had a fit about it. Her mother almost passed out and preached about how much Ellie had changed, how she was becoming feral, and how she must never speak like that again. She almost has never been out of their sight since. This was one of the few occasions she had to herself anymore and she had to get blood work done. It was almost as worse than her parents smothering her were.

The door opened and the doctor stepped into the room. "Are you feelin' any better?" He asked as he moved to the computer and sat down in front of it.

"Yeah," Ellie sighed.

"Your parents are waiting out front for you," he said.

Ellie groaned.

"What is it," he asked, looking away from the computer.

"Oh nothing," Ellie replied as she stood up. She staggered slightly but kept her balance. She head to the door and opened it. "Bye Doctor Macalister," she said and closed the door behind her.

The hall was not at all crowded, only a few men and women navigated what was a maze the first time she was here. She moved down the hallway to her left. She passed by large glass windows that let her view the labs. She stopped at one and looked at the people working inside.

A large computer was actively putting numbers on a nearby screen. The lab was developing part of the cure to the DX virus. Since the first day she stepped into the building, she seemed to ponder what each machine did. It was odd how the different machines worked together though bundle of wires.

She sighed and turned away. She followed the hall towards the main doors and soon, she passed by the reception desk. Ellie pushed open the large glass doors and a cool wind struck her. Ellie stepped onto the stairway leading to the street. She moved toward the white limousine with a man standing next to a door.

"Hi Charlie," Ellie said as she reached the vehicle.

"Good day Ellie," he tipped his hat and opened the door.

Ellie started to get in when a thunderous explosion sounded behind her. She spun around to see a massive fireball below outwards from the sixth floor of the Ingen building. Tiny shards of glass started to rain down as people around the building began to panic. Shrieking, Ellie covered her head and ducked into the vehicle.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Several hours had passed since Silver Claw, Amanda, Loki and Sophia exited the cave. The morning light leaked through small gaps in the tree line and illuminated their way. The helicopter was not at the entrance when they left and they had not seen it since. Each hoped it was gone for good.

Silver Claw sighed as he looked upon Amanda. She was asleep finally.

"Where are we going?" Loki asked. "Do you know if there is a way down over here?"

"I think so," Silver Claw said softly so not to disturb Amanda. He noticed that Sophia was looking at Amanda for the seventh time. "You feel bad for her don't you."

Sophia jerked her head slightly and looked at him. "I don't feel bad for her, I feel for her, I know what she went though and it wasn't pleasant."

"It's a good thing that you and Loki were there to help," Silver Claw sighed. "The hole I was in was too small for me to turn around in."

"What were you doing there?" Sophia questioned.

"Amanda told me to," Silver Claw sighed. "She didn't want the humans to shoot me so she had me hide."

"Oh," Sophia lowered her head. "I guess I should apologize."

"For what," Silver Claw cocked his head.

"For trying to take you from her," Sophia's head sunk lower.

"You know," Silver Claw started. "Even though you were doing it, Amanda still likes you, and you are still my friend Sophia."

Her head rose slightly, "I just though that you two were unnatural to be together and that I should have you."

"I thought it was a little strange that I was with a human when I first met her," Silver Claw admitted. "My curiosity got the better of me and I stayed with her. I'm glad I did though."

"What made you stay with, if you don't mind telling me," Sophia exclaimed.

"I guess at first, I was just lonely but as I got to know her better, I started to like her more and more." Silver Claw turned his head so that he could see Amanda. He smiled. "She's my love. I wouldn't change it for anything." He saw how Sophia looked away. "I'm sure you'll find a mate who makes you just as happy as Amanda and I, Sophia, all it takes it time."

"I hope so," Sophia said so softly that it was almost inaudible.

A bird shrieked and flew overhead. Silver Claw froze and looked around. There was no sounds, no movement, not anything. It was never good.

A rustling in some bushes caught Silver Claw's attention. Suddenly, a mussaurus limped into sight. Its breath was labored and raspy. It dropped to the ground and wheezed once more before going limp. A strong smell hung in the air, that of the toxic spit of the dilophosaurus.

Silver Claw rushed away with Sophia and Loki. Behind them, the dilophosaurus emerged into sight. It stood no tall than Amanda's waist but it had its frill extended and teeth showing. It hooted softly and started to eat its kill.

Silver Claw sniffed the air as he ran. It was the only dilophosaurus around. He slowed to a walk and looked to Amanda. She was still asleep. Sophia and Loki stopped and moved in front of him.

"I thought it was an adult we were going to deal with." Loki sighed.

"It's a good thing it wasn't," Sophia added. "We should get out of her as soon as possible though."

Silver Claw nodded and moved towards the cliffs that he saw during the night.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda slowly opened her eyes. She was alone. The dense jungle around here echoed with strange sounds that made her uncomfortable. She noticed that either it was night or the canopy did not let any light in.

She staggered to her feet but fell over. She looked at herself. She was a velociraptor. It was only a dream at least.

"Silver Claw," Amanda said. "Silver Claw, are you around here?"

She waited a moment but nothing replied to her call. The jungle only went silent.

Amanda groaned and staggered to her feet, using her tail for balance. She staggered on her first few steps but quickly got a hang of walking as she had to. She looked at the dense undergrowth around her and cautiously stepped out of the area. She moved in between the towering trees, eyeing her surrounding as Silver Claw did when they were on the move.

The jungle was empty of life, not one lizard, bird or insect moved about the area. The leaf litter crunched beneath her feet and that was all the noise there was. The air was cool but not too cool, and dry.

Amanda felt uneasy, something was wrong, even for a dream this was strange. She was alone, in a jungle, with no sounds but the ones she made. Not one animal besides her self was in the area, which made it even more unnerving.

She felt an odd sensation swell with in her and she moved to the closest tree. Amanda rubbed against it with her side and neck. An odd fragrance filled the air, it was sweet but musty, enticing but in a strange way. She pulled away from the tree and looked at it. She had only broken a few pieces of bark from the trunk but the smell surrounded her.

Amanda's eyes widened and she realized that she was acting as Sophia did at the top of that ridge. I must be in heat, Amanda thought and looked around for any sign of life but none existed.

Amanda sighed and continued onward. The canopy above opened up in a spot and allowed her to see that it was night. Stars gleamed in the sky but disappeared behind the canopy.

"Is anyone out there?" Amanda called out. Her voice echoed several times like in a cave then faded into silence again.

Amanda felt a crushing loneliness inside her. Where was Silver Claw, he was in every other dream of hers since she arrived on this island. Why was he not this one? Amanda whimpered softly.

She laid herself on the ground and curled her tail by her head. Her eyes traced along her figure from her tail to her neck. She looked at her killing claws. They glinted in a glossy black hue. If it were brighter, she might be able to see her reflection.

Amanda slowly lifted her claw and lowered it. It felt odd to have such mobility of her body. She sighed heavily and looked around. Still, not one thing moved around her.

She felt alone but exposed to everything around her. A light fragrance drifted in a light breeze past her snout. It smelt familiar. She pondered about it for a moment then suddenly realized that it was Silver Claw.

Amanda scrambled to her feet and followed the scent. For what seemed like an eternity, she ran through the jungle. The smell continued to get stronger until she burst from the jungle and onto a massive plain full of chest high golden grasses. Amanda looked back to see that the jungle had completely disappeared.

"Silver Claw," Amanda shouted. She waited for a minute without a response.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out through the air. Amanda howled in pain and looked to see that the bullet had grazed her back leg and it was now bleeding. Amanda turned tail and ran as hard as she could. The footsteps of the hunter seemed to get only closer the faster she went. Her heart raced as she looked back in an attempt to see her pursuer but could not.

"Help," Amanda shouted.

"No one is going to help you Amanda," the voice struck and forced her to the ground.

Amanda hit the ground heavily and her vision went black but she was not unconscious. Tiny white pinhole sized lights dotted the darkness and slowly, her vision started to recover. However, before it could, she felt a hand on her back that forced her to the ground.

Amanda screamed and lashed out with her teeth and claws only to have her vision recover and show that she was now human. The man on top of her was the one that tried to rape her.

Amanda's body started to vibrate violently as fear coursed her veins. Her heart seemed to skip every other beat and it felt as if it would stop. Amanda let out a scream but it did not have an effect. Suddenly, she felt her body go as if it were paralyzed. She could not move, she could not scream.

The man grabbed her shirt and pulled back heavily. A loud tearing sounded.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda awoke with a scream and burst into tears. She covered her face and cried even louder. Then it struck her, she was not on Silver Claw but the ground. Amanda quickly looked up to see that the three raptors were staring at her with expressions of confusion.

Amanda lunged at Silver Claw and pulled him tightly against herself. Her tears rolled down his side and soaked into the ground.

"Amanda, what's wrong?" she heard Silver Claw say but she could not answer. She was crying too hard to speak even. Her heart raced so much so that it hurt. Thoughts raced through her head.

Amanda pulled the rest of her body against Silver Claw and almost forced him onto her lap. Though his weight was uncomfortable, the thought that he was with her was enough to drive off any discomfort.

She felt the warmth of his tongue against her cheek as he tried to comfort her. It only worked to a small degree. The sound of his purring helped her mind to settle down from the endless flood of thought.

She pulled him tighter. His scales scratched her skin but she did not care.

Several minutes passed until Amanda was finally calmed down enough to speak.

"What happened, Amanda?" Silver Claw asked. His voice was soothing and soft.

"I had a nightmare," Amanda said between her crying. "That man attacked me again."

"Oh Amanda," Silver Claw pushed his head against the side of her neck. "I'm so sorry."

"Stay with me," Amanda cried softly.

"Don't worry, I will never leave you."

Amanda rested her head on his neck and tightened her grip of him. She looked around. They were on a beach lining a channel or very large river. From where she looked out, she could see the ocean in the distance though it was still some ways away.

The white sand glistened in the midday light and was warm to the touch. The soft slosh of the water against the shore made for a soothing atmosphere. The warm humid air only added to the peaceful atmosphere.

"Where are we," Amanda sniffled.

"You once told me that you love the beach and that it was the one place you would go to one to be at peace with your troubles." Silver Claw said softly. "I hope it helps with this."

"Thank you," Amanda whispered and closed her eyes to let the sounds calm her.

Amanda leaned her head against Silver Claw's neck even more. He was surprisingly warm, or at least warmer than he was normally. The smell that his body was now producing hung heavily in the air and there was no doubt in her mind that she smelled like him because of it.

The sun beat down on her back with an unending flow of warmth and light. The slosh of the water grew louder for a few moments and then quiet again. Insects buzzed around the area though it did not seem that they landed on anything. A few seagulls squawked in the sky above and Amanda slowly looked up.

The sky was a beautiful blue with no clouds in sight. The birds were off some ways down the shore. The glare off the water was almost enough to blind if someone were to look straight on. The ripple of the small waves had a hypnotic effect to it.

Nearly an hour passed as Amanda gazed out over the water. She was warm and safe for the moment and she liked it that way. If it were not for Silver Claw's comfort and ever presence, she might have been an emotional wreck after the kind of experience she had.

"I think I'll go lay in the water," Sophia said and stood up. "It's a little too warm on this sand." She moved to the shore and looked around cautiously before wading in a few feet and lying down.

Loki stretched and looked to Silver Claw. "I think you'll be fine from here out so I might just leave for home and hope my father lets me back."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with us for a little longer?" Silver Claw questioned.

"I miss my Anna," Loki said. "She must be heart broken to have not seen me in such a long time."

"I understand," Silver Claw replied. "When are you leaving?"

"I think I'll start now," Loki sighed. "It'll be a long walk back to the nests."

"Alright," Silver Claw said. "Sophia, could you come here?"

"That's not necessary," Loki said but Sophia was already half way to them.

"What is it?" Sophia asked.

Silver Claw looked to Loki.

"I'm leaving." Loki sighed.

"Oh…really," Sophia cocked her head. "Goodbye, I guess."

Loki staggered to his feet and stretched his back.

Amanda slipped out from under Silver Claw and stood up. She walked over to Loki and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thanks for keeping Silver Claw alive and out of trouble."

"No problem," Loki said and moved out of her grasp. "Goodbye." He turned around and headed towards the opposite end of the beach leading into the jungle.

"Bye," Amanda said and sat down next to Silver Claw.

They watched as Loki walked down the beach and slipped into the jungle and out of sight. To Silver Claw and Sophia, his scent slowly faded out of notice. He was now gone.

Amanda sighed. "I'm going to miss him."

"Yeah," Silver Claw sighed. He looked to Sophia who was already settling back into the water.

"How long do you want to stay here?" Amanda asked.

"As long as you want my love," Silver Claw replied.

Amanda smiled and rested on the sand. Silver Claw moved next to her and looked down at her.

Amanda caressed his neck with her hand as she stared into his red eyes. His dark blue scales glinted slightly in the light. His warm breath washed over her face.

"I wish this would never end," Amanda sighed.

"Me too," Silver Claw replied and touched his snout to her lips.

Amanda wrapped her arms around Silver Claw's neck and pulled on it so that his lower jaw rested on her cheek. Suddenly, a wave of cold water splashed across both of them and Silver Claw shuddered.

Amanda looked to see that Sophia was already retreating to the water for more. Silver Claw stood up and attempted to pull Amanda to her feet by pulling on her shirt. It tore even more.

Silver Claw's head dropped and his feathers flattened. "I'm sorry," Silver Claw said.

Amanda looked at her now ruined shirt and started to pull it off. She looked at the tear that nearly broke it in two. Amanda examined it and kneeled on the ground. She looked up at Silver Claw. "Could you cut this please?" Amanda gestured to a point and moved her finger along were she wanted it cut.

"Ok," Silver Claw cocked his head and used his killing claw to cut through the material. Its worn fabric was enough that it was easy to cut through. "What did you need me to cut it for?" Silver Claw asked. It looked like he made it worse.

Amanda did not reply but instead put the fabric behind her back and brought it over her chest then tied it. She finished and looked at Silver Claw. "Does this look better than a shirt?"

"I think so," Silver Claw said. "It won't keep you warm though."

"I know." Amanda replied. She wrapped her arms around him. "That's why I have you."

Silver Claw chirped softly. He slipped out of Amanda's grasp and ducked to one side. Amanda cocked her head but let out a shriek when a splash of icy ocean water washed over her exposed skin.

Amanda spun around and chased after Sophia and Silver Claw as they head towards the water…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	29. Hard Times

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 29: Hard Times

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: For those of you who would like to know, this story was only to be about twelve chapters in length. Amanda was never going to fall in love with Silver Claw, but instead go home with her father and that would be the end. It is amazing how things change because of reviews.

As usual, any ways to improve my writing and story are welcome. As for next chapter or one after, it will see the introduction of a new character I think you may like. Please review.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda stared at the starry sky above her. The dense canopy opened up in only a few places but where it did, she could see the night sky clearly. The ground under foot was not soil but was in fact asphalt. Just before dusk, Silver Claw, Sophia and she stumbled upon the road leading from the southern complex to the northern, yet unknown to them, territory.

The jungle around them was thick with undergrowth and consumed in darkness. Several shrubs broke the surface of the road where it appeared something crack the asphalt. A distant shriek sounded from a large creature.

"How far do you think it is until the building?" Amanda asked as she strode along side Silver Claw.

Silver Claw looked to Amanda, "I hope no more than a day."

A deep rumble sounded from the distance behind the group. Amanda was unsettled enough when walking at night let alone on a road somewhere she knew not of.

"It's not a carnivore I don't think." Silver Claw reassured.

"I know, it's just, I don't like being out in the open any more, especially at night." Amanda sighed.

"I like the night," Silver Claw said. "It makes me feel more alive and aware."

Amanda smiled and leaned against him. She used her right hand to play with his feathers. Silver Claw purred in response.

Sophia sighed and looked around. As they rounded a curve in the road, the area suddenly became silent.

Silver Claw stopped and looked around. He could not smell anything nor hear if anything were approaching.

"What is it?" Amanda asked. She looked around but could not see beyond about ten feet into the jungle, of that, most of which was too dark for her to distinguish shapes easily.

"I don't…know," Silver Claw replied wearily.

A snap forced them to turn around. A large creature burst from the jungle down the road a short ways. It looked like the spinosaurus but with out the sail. It roared as it rushed towards the group.

Amanda was the first to start running. Silver Claw and Sophia quickly followed her after a moments pause. They continued to follow the road and soon another roar sounded.

Amanda glanced back to see a second carnivore break the tree line. It had a short blunt snout, crested at the top, with small crests over the eyes. Long slender but muscular legs kept at a quick pace and with arms tucked against its sides. It was a metriacanthosaurus.

The metriacanthosaurus let out an unearthly roar and leapt into the air. It landed on the side of the baryonyx and sank its teeth into the neck. The baryonyx roared and with a snap of its body sent the metriacanthosaurus to the ground. The baryonyx turned and disappeared into the jungle.

The metriacanthosaurus roared and struggled to its feet. It looked around but saw nothing. It quickly disappeared into the jungle in pursuit of the baryonyx.

Amanda took a moment to catch her breath and then said, "That was close."

"I actually thought that that baryonyx was after us," Sophia sighed.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Amanda asked. When she received a strange look from both Silver Claw and Sophia, Amanda shrugged, "I was just wondering."

"Baryonyx only eat fish and sometimes the carcasses they stumble upon," Silver Claw explained. "Only the very ill, will attack anything besides fish and often die in the process. Anyways, baryonyx stay near water so we are not far from that channel yet."

Amanda sighed. "Is it safe to move out of here?"

"Yes," Sophia replied and stepped out of the large cluster of trees. She sniffed the air and nodded to reassure that it was safe.

Amanda and Silver Claw emerged from the trees and looked around as well.

"Let's get out of here before something comes around," Silver Claw said and turned northward with the road.

Amanda quickly moved next to him and made her pace to match his. Sophia moved past both of them and only slowed once she was a few meters ahead. She kept a keen eye on the surrounding jungle.

Silver Claw perked his head up as he walked, listening to the sounds in the distance. There were not much to be heard but a few insects and dinosaurs that were active in the area. From the plain some ways away, the soft call of a brachiosaur drifted gently in the wind.

"How are you feeling," Silver Claw asked.

Amanda sighed, "Better since we were swimming. I'm clean and I do not smell like you that much anymore."

"That's good," Silver Claw smiled. It was good to know that she was feeling better that she did earlier. "What do you think the building will be if it's still standing?"

"I have no idea," Amanda admitted. "We've seen the labs and observation facility, the one that you saw in the south that I do not know what it is, but that's it. Who knows what could be up here."

"I hope there is good hunting," Sophia said to be included. "It seems that most of the herbivores are more towards the southern areas than at the ocean. I was no as easy to find a large enough prey at our old home as it was in that other packs territory."

"I there are not as much carnivores up here," Amanda stretched her back. "I don't want to be force to eat lizards and rodents as meals again; they're too small, bony and taste terrible anyway."

"Yeah I know." Silver Claw grinned, remembering the fuss she put up once when he brought her a fat rat because he could not get a piece of the kill for her. She did eat it finally, but it was hard to convince her to do so.

A sharp screech sounded of in the distance from the area where the baryonyx was heading. It suddenly cut short, silence followed for a moment and then, a triumphant roar filled the air.

Amanda quickened her pace until she was in a light jog. Silver Claw caught up to her and looked at her with a puzzled expression. Sophia was now behind them.

Amanda sighed. "I'd rather not be in the area; something might be attracted to all that noise."

"Alright," Silver Claw gestured for her to get on his back but Amanda shook her head.

"I think I'll jog for a bit. It'll help my legs get back into shape so I don't get a cramp again."

Silver Claw nodded and looked back to Sophia. She was only keeping to a pace that would allow her not to fall behind.

Several minutes passed and the ground sloped downward as they came to a small hill. After a while, the ground flattened and they followed the road as it curved. The road became straighter and opened up to the sky. The moon cast long shadows on the things it illuminated and made for an eerie appeal to the place.

Amanda slowed her pace to a walk. Her breathing was slightly heavier. She yawned after a few moments.

"Would you like to rest?" Silver Claw questioned.

"No," Amanda yawned again, "No, let's continue for a while."

Silver Claw shook his head and slowed his pace. Once he was behind her, Silver Claw dipped his head and in almost a leap, moved forward with his body low. He lifted his body up with Amanda on his back. She gave a slight shriek as she grasped at his neck to keep her balance.

Silver Claw snickered, as she got comfortable. "I like that you see things my way."

"Shut up," Amanda said in a laugh. She rested her head against his neck with her arms held tightly in front of his.

Silver Claw smiled. In the distance, he could hear a waterfall but it was some ways away from the road and he did not want to loose it. Some kind of small animal scurried into a burrow at the base of a tree lining the road.

Sophia moved next to Silver Claw and looked at him. "When are we going to rest," Sophia questioned. "I know we saw that spinosaur but still, I think it's safe to assume that it didn't see us back at the channel."

"I know, it may have only gone to the water to catch fish or drink but still," Silver Claw sighed. "If it didn't see us, I don't want it catching us if it did decide to cross the channel and look for food. You know it will try to kill us if it finds any trace of us."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sophia replied. "Amanda?"

Amanda turned her head so that she could see Sophia clearly. "Yes?"

"I was wondering…if…uh," Sophia trailed off.

"Wondering what," Amanda questioned with great interest, because not only Sophia had a question for her but also she was unsure of whether or not to ask.

"I was wondered how…human's find their mates?" Sophia asked and looked away with some embarrassment.

Amanda was dumbstruck. She barely knew how to find the right person to as Sophia had said be her 'mate' but never had to find out because Silver Claw came along. Amanda swallowed a gulp of air before she answered. "Well I never really found out for myself because Silver Claw came along, but I would say that people find their 'mates' by finding someone who makes them laugh, someone who they feel depressed without them around because you care for them so much, and someone who you love unconditionally. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Sophia's scales turned red around her snout. "It seems that there are not many males to choose from on this island, only…was it one in the other pack." When Silver Claw nodded, she continued. "He didn't sound too interesting when we were talking about that pack…and since you have Silver Claw's heart." Sophia closed her eyes, "And seeing as you two love each other even as different species, I might give humans… or… something like that a… shot…"

Amanda's eyes widened at the end of Sophia's statement. She noticed that Sophia was trembling, she was so nervous at saying what she thought.

"I mean, there must be at least one human that I might like and respect that does not seem to be an idiot like those in the cave. I know I could never have hatchlings if I chose a mate that was not like me…but I guess if it worked for you two; it might work for me… How many humans are there anyway?"

"I…I…I don't know," Amanda admitted, she was still stunned at Sophia's answer. "Several billion I think."

"Billion," Sophia questioned. "How many is that?"

"The population of this island is… is an ant compared to… a… brachiosaur, maybe something even bigger than that." Amanda said, unsure of how to explain it in any more detail.

"That's far too many," Sophia stated in utter disbelief.

"Well, there are some problems with a population like that," Amanda sighed.

Silver Claw turned a corner in the road and stopped. Sophia was about to say something but stopped dead in her tracks. Amanda, puzzled at both stopping, looked up and gasped.

Before them lay the rest of the road, it lay in the center of a massive canyon about eighty meters wide and an inestimable height. Massive boulders provided the perfect cover for anything looking to ambush an unsuspecting animal. Even a spinosaurus could hide behind some of them. Not one tree besides the rotting logs that had fallen from the cliffs above was visible from where they stood. The far side of the canyon was indistinguishable because of numerous rises and dips in the surface terrain.

"The road leads in there," Amanda said under her breath.

"I don't know how much I want to go to that building anymore," Silver Claw said, knowing Amanda was thinking around the same idea. "I may be too dangerous to go this way."

"I know what you mean," Sophia said. "Anything could be lurking in there just waiting for something like us to pass by."

"I wonder how long it would take to go around these cliffs for another way to the building." Amanda said.

"I don't think there is," Silver Claw said. "I was once told that the greens controlled this area because of its security against invading packs. The cliffs go all the way around. Unless you can climb, you have to go this way."

"What if the velociraptors here are not dead," Amanda said. "That won't take kindly to our intrusion."

"I don't think…" Silver Claw started but could not finish.

A sudden and terrifyingly familiar roar thundered from the jungle behind them. The heavy footsteps of the charging super predator echoed through the air and soon, the ground began to shake.

"It found us," Sophia cried. She raced into the canyon at full speed.

Silver Claw quickly sprinted to catch her, nearly loosing Amanda in the process. They swerved to dodge large and small rocks. The ground under foot was treacherous to run on because of the risk of stepping on a sharp stone that could cut the toughest hide with ease.

Amanda looked back to see that the boulders were slowing down the spinosaurus but not to the degree she hoped it would. A roar from the beast sent a chill down Amanda's spine and cause rocks to fall from the walls.

Silver Claw followed Sophia over a small ridge and into what seemed to be a cave-in where the road once was. The cave was such that it leads under the road a ways before another cave-in provided an exit back to the surface. The part between the two holes looked fragile.

Sophia continued onward and into the hole where the collapsed section of the road provided a ramp. She was unhindered by the rough terrain that was the crumbled section of the road. Silver Claw was next; he jumped into the cave where smoother floor would not hurt him with the added weight of Amanda on his back. He caught up to Sophia and took the lead as they headed out the other side and back onto the asphalt of the road.

A thunderous roar boomed from the spinosaur as it jumped to continue pursuit but the section of remaining road gave way under the immense weight of the animal and the spinosaur disappeared in a cloud of dust. Sophia and Silver Claw did not slow their pace, they could not risk a chance that the spinosaur was alive and by now, if uninjured enough to continue, very angry.

The canyon narrowed as they reached the half waypoint. The smell of smoke hung in the air and a light plumb materialized from behind a boulder that could hid a tyrannosaurus-sized creature. Silver Claw and Sophia slowed to a crawl almost. They were cautious of what could be on the other side of the boulder and the spinosaur was not in pursuit.

A light groan made Amanda's eyes widen. She quickly hopped off Silver Claw and moved so that she could see what made the sound. She gasped.

Behind the rock was a downed helicopter with the Ingen label on the side. A familiar black dome like device lay shattered on the ground with sparking wires and a blinking light. Most of the helicopter was bent out of shape and nearly indistinguishable as pieces of it. As Amanda cautiously moved around to the other side, she found the cockpit window shattered and a limp form hanging out of it with blood pooled on the ground beneath.

The groan sounded again and Amanda moved to the body of the man hanging out of the window. With trembling hands, Amanda reached out and touched the man's exposed neck. She quickly recalled her hand. He was ice cold, defiantly dead.

"I wonder what happened," Sophia questioned as she looked around.

Silver Claw touched Amanda's shoulder, "Is he…"

"Yes," Amanda said before Silver Claw could finish. "He's dead but I heard something, someone might still be alive."

Silver Claw perked his head up and moved further around the helicopter. "Amanda," He said. "I found him…"

Amanda moved to Silver Claw's side. She felt a sudden hatred fill inside her. It was the man that ordered Amanda to give up and move into the open so that they could take Silver Claw to the mainland. Over him, the limp body of a pteranodon laid, its wings buckled and broken with blood pooled around its head. A bare wire sparked near the body.

Amanda saw that the man under the pteranodon moved slightly and she approached. A heavy aroma of the man's own filth hung in the air but she ignored it. Amanda pushed aside the wing that covered the man's chest and replaced it with her foot.

The man wheezed as he already had trouble breathing. He tried to lift his arm to beg of help but he was too weak to do much more that groan.

The fear she felt when the man this one sent, tried to rape her filled her but it morphed into something else, anger and the thirst for revenge. Amanda bent over. Something fell out of her pocket and landed on the wire, it went unnoticed by anyone.

Silver Claw stepped to the far side of the pteranodon, "Who is this human?"

In heavy breaths, Amanda said, "He's the one whose voice you heard, he's the one who sent the men to capture us, he's the man who sent the one who tried to rape me!"

Silver Claw's expression turned to puzzlement. His mate had said it all in English and not raptor, and it seemed see was ready to kill this human. Nothing he had ever seen her do showed that she might even have considered something like this. Unless it was for food but she would never even think of this man a prey.

"Amanda, we should get moving." Silver Claw said softly. "We don't want to be caught by the spinosaurus here if it is on the move."

Amanda was silent. She stared into the man's terror filled eyes, terror she was causing him. "On moment my love," Amanda said in a dreamy tone. She grabbed the man's arms and started to pull him to the center of the canyon. "It will stall the spinosaur for a bit."

"Amanda, you're acting strange," Silver Claw said.

"No," Amanda snapped, "You are. You are a killing machine, not some soft cuddly creature. You're supposed to kill something that could be prey and food!"

"Amanda, what's wrong with you?" Silver Claw asked and grabbed hold of the back of her shirt in his mouth.

Amanda screamed and swung around, releasing Silver Claw's hold on her when her fist hit him just behind the snout, a sensitive spot to a velociraptor. She turned and started down the canyon towards the direction away from the direction the spinosaurus was. Silver Claw looked to Sophia and quickly raced to catch up to Amanda.

As they raced away, a bright green flame flickered brightly next to the body of the man where a leaf had fallen onto a bare wire and caught fire.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ellie sat patently with her hands folded in her lap. She was in a long empty hallway of an Ingen complex, not the one hit in the bombing. John had invited her, why, she knew not though. He was currently in a board meeting with the investors of the company. After the recent incident in San Diego, Jurassic Park and Site B would all be public knowledge, it would only be a matter of time before people flocked to see the dinosaur, and that would only end in disaster that is if Ingen could not find a solution to save the islands.

The door next to her clicked and soon dozens of executives poured out of the room and headed towards the exit of the building. After the crowd was gone, John Hammond appeared in the doorway. He leaned heavily on his cane, as his illness was not dissipating and he had a sickly appearance. He looked at Ellie and smile.

"Thank you for coming Ellie," He said in a rough voice.

"No problem Mr. Hammond," Ellie said and stood up. She followed him into the conference room and closed the door behind herself. "What did you like?"

"Ellie," he started, "You know that Sorna and Nublar should be protected against the outside world, correct?"

"Yes," Ellie replied.

"You know that I am very ill and may only have a short time before I am bed ridden until my death, yes?"

Ellie nodded. Over the last month, she grew to admire John for the reasons why he created Ingen and Jurassic Park and the reasons he wanted his creations to stay in one piece, separate from the world.

John started to hack loudly and moved to the table to keep his balance. He took in a deep breath and leaned against the table. "I'm not as young as I used to be," he sighed. "Ellie, I would like to offer you a position in Ingen."

"What?" Ellie said, shocked.

"It's not of the Ingen you know that is failing and soon, we will be bankrupt from the lawsuits." He rubbed his neck. "Everything I am now telling you must be kept in the utmost secrecy."

"Of course," Ellie responded. Her mind became a flurry of thoughts.

"Ok," John sighed. "After the incident at Jurassic Park as I am sure I told you about." Ellie nodded. "I knew if we could not reclaim the island, Ingen would be bankrupt in a short matter of time. The efforts of Peter were a desperate attempt to stop this. The bombing that you were an unfortunate witness to, I suspect an attack from our rival, Biosyn."

"Can't you have the people responsible arrested?" Ellie questioned.

"The problem is that the people that did it are a secret organization apart of Biosyn but yet paid by it," John answered. "There is not paper trail, no exchange of money, nothing."

"What kind of job are you offering me?" Ellie asked suspiciously.

"I found out after the Jurassic Park incident that Denis Nedry was paid a great deal of money only days before the incident. Denis was in charge of our computer system and he caused the systems to shut down." John took in a deep breath. "Now Ellie, I know that you are only sixteen and do not have much experience in the issue as an adult."

Ellie crossed her arms. "What are you offering me?"

"I have a position open in a kind of secondary company to Ingen. It works in secret and helps keep several things under control."

"Thing like what," Ellie asked.

"Things like the bodies of deceased dinosaurs washing up on the mainland," John said. "It appears that several people in Costa Rica have been in contact with these animals and as a result, are infected with DX. I know, I know, this is not a good thing but we have been able to contain it but that will only last so long. There are other more serious problems than DX."

"I didn't say anything," Ellie said, "But what could be worse that an outbreak of DX?"

"You didn't…" John paused briefly. "I can't tell you unless you accept the position."

"What _exactly_ will I be doing?" Ellie stressed.

"You will be part of a small team that will spread the cure over the islands and tag each of the existing animals." John replied. "Once the DX cure is complete you will be working in Costa Rica for some time."

"Spread the cure how," Ellie questioned, "And what about tagging?"

"Our scientist will try once it is done to create an aerial dispersal system," John said, "Until then, you would anesthetize the animals and to tag them, the helicopter would land and someone would inject a tiny tracking system into the animal along with the medicine to wake up the creature. I can't remember what it was called at the moment." He took in a deep breath. "As well as the superb yearly salary, you would have all the health benefits you needed to keep healthy."

"Why would you need me, I've never done anything like it in my life." Ellie started. "Why would I want to go back to those islands anyway?"

"You could help us with locating certain species of dinosaur because of your time on the island," John said.

"All I ever saw was Amanda and Silver Claw making loving looks to each other." Ellie said. "I would be no help."

"There is another reason," John said. "It has to do with Amanda."

"What about her?" Ellie asked with some concern in her voice.

"Well, she was injured no too long ago and was in hospital on the mainland." John started.

"What?" Ellie nearly shouted. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"She ran away," John replied. He coughed and then cleared his throat. "She managed to get back to Sorna with some help of a team that I sent recently."

"Why was she in the hospital?"

"She nearly died of blood loss," John said. "She had a long cut along the side of her body from a triceratops attack. She's only alive because a man was doing a flyby of the island."

"Oh, why would you need my help with Amanda though?" Ellie questioned.

"I'm not sure whether you should hear it," John said and pulled a recorder out of his pocket. "It was…recovered from the body of one of Peter's employees that was sent to bring Amanda and Silver Claw back to the mainland as an attraction at the Jurassic Park San Diego complex."

"Body," Ellie repeated. "Amanda would never kill someone."

"There are four dead men, or at least they could have been men. It was hard to tell from the remains what they were," John sighed. He placed the recorder on the table. "It makes me sick to listen to it. However, if you want to know what happened, play it. Maybe you could help us find out what she was saying?"

Ellie reached down, picked it up, and looked at it. "What happened to her?"

"It's sick to think that an employee would be capable of doing… or at least trying something as bad as what happened." John replied. "I don't even want to speak of it. If you want to find out though, you will have to listen to the tape but be warned that it is nothing anyone should go through."

John moved to a door leading out of the room. "Bring it to me after you're done with it, I don't want her father to find out."

Ellie watched as John walked out of the room and closed the door. She was alone. What could be so terrible that it would make him ill to hear it? Ellie tried to think of anything that would cause Amanda or at least Silver Claw to kill four humans.

Ellie slowly sat down and placed the recorder on the table. She pressed play.

- - - - - - - - - -

The sound of heavy steps and breathing sounded from the speaker. It stopped.

"Which way do we go sir?" a voice asked.

"Split up," a heavily masculine voice said. "Tom, you're with me. McAlister, Sam, you two go that way."

"Sir," the others said and the heavy steps of the men sounded as the presumably moved away.

The footsteps sounded as the man moved. Their heavy breathing distorted the other sounds of the tape, as they seemed to be running. The steps stopped.

"What is it?" The man, not the leader, said.

"I heard a growl, careful."

Ellie could hear the faint noise of Silver Claw's growls. She then heard a growl she recognized, Amanda saying 'go.'

The shifting of heavy clothing was the next noise. After a few moments it stopped.

"Where is it?" The commander said.

"Where's what?" Amanda's voice asked.

"You know what I'm talking about girl. Now tell me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Amanda replied over the tape, her voice was firm and it was unquestionable that Amanda had Silver Claw hide.

Ellie gasped as she heard a loud thwack and Amanda cry out in pain. Tears started to from in her eyes as she continued to listen to the tape.

"I'm not kidding around here," the man's voice said firmly. "Tell me or else."

"Or else what," Amanda's voice said again.

Ellie's breath became heavy when she heard Amanda cry out in pain again. Suddenly, Ellie could hear choking. "Oh my god," Ellie said.

"Mr. Ludlow wants her alive," Tom said.

The sound of someone hitting the ground followed and through the tape, Amanda's crying soon followed it.

"You don't happen to recall in what condition we were to bring her to Mr. Ludlow, do you?" The commander's voice said in a tone that unnerved Ellie.

"No sir," Tom replied. "I only remember him saying to bring her to him."

"Good," the commander said. "I'm going to enjoy this."

- - - - - - - - - -

Ellie stopped the tape. Tears streamed down her face. He raped Amanda, she thought. Her breathing was so heavy and her heartbeat so strong that she felt like her chest would not hold. She felt ill at the though of what would follow on the tape.

Behind her, John entered the room. "I thought you couldn't listen to it all."

"How could someone do that to her," Ellie cried.

"He didn't rape her," John said to ease Ellie's pain. "I believe it was Silver Claw that stopped that."

"I have to see her," Ellie cried.

"In time," John said. "We would have to find her. Will you take the position?"

"Yes," Ellie sobbed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: There is a Favorite Character Poll on my Profile Page. Choose your favorite three characters that have appeared in this story so far, mostly velociraptors.


	30. Company

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 30: Company

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: As usual any ideas to help my story are welcome. I will introduce the new character next chapter, I hope you like him. The Title of the next chapter is "The Forgotten One." Please Review.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda raced down the canyon. Her heartbeat was erratic. Behind her, two of the islands top predators were in pursuit. They were velociraptors and they were after her.

"Go away!" Amanda screamed as she continued to run.

Silver Claw looked at his mate with bewilderment. Why would she run away from him? Better yet, why would she strike him in a spot she knew was sensitive and why was she fearful of him?

"Amanda," Silver Claw called out. "What's wrong?"

She did not even glance back at him but instead quickened her pace to what Silver Claw did not know she could run at.

"What's wrong with her," Sophia asked in an unappealing tone.

"I don't know what would cause her to act like this," Silver Claw replied.

"Maybe she finally snapped," Sophia suggested but got a dark glare from Silver Claw. "Ok, probably not. Maybe she's ill or caught something?"

A massive blast thundered through the canyon. Silver Claw looked back to see a dark cloud rise above the wreckage of the downed helicopter. In the midst of the smoke and flying rubble, he saw a flicker of a green flame.

"No," Silver Claw said horrified.

"What, what is it?" Sophia questioned instantly.

"She must have kept one of those leaves that made us act strange," Silver Claw said and swerved around a small pile of sharp rocks. "No wonder she hit me and ran away."

Sophia snarled. "Why would she carry such a thing?" She snorted again. "Why don't we just catch her, we are a lot faster that she is."

"I wanted to know what was wrong with her before I did anything," Silver Claw said. "Now I know, so we had better hurry before she hurts herself or we get hurt."

"Yeah," Sophia agreed she looked around the area. "There's a fence up ahead."

"What," Silver Claw questioned and turned his attention away from Amanda.

The canyon leveled off near where they were and few boulders obstructed the view. At the end of the canyon, it narrowed significantly and in that space was a large electric fence with two gates. A slight movement turned Silver Claw's attention upward to a fallen tree that bridged the two cliffs. A dark shape that was indistinguishable at first as it moved swiftly across the log. Then it struck him, it was a velociraptor.

"Sophia, we have to get Amanda and leave."

"Why," Sophia questioned. "We can't go back."

"The greens here are still alive, I just saw one."

"Where," Sophia's gaze darted around the area.

"On that fallen tree at the top of the cliffs," Silver Claw exclaimed.

Sophia snarled. "I see it, it's watching us."

Silver Claw looked back up to see that the raptor was indeed watching them. It had stopped in the center of the log and was now looking down upon them.

"We can't let them know Amanda is my mate," Silver Claw said. "They may hunt us because of it."

"Let them know that Amanda is you mate," Sophia repeated. "We're in their territory, they'll hunt us whether you have a human mate or not."

"I guess you're right," Silver Claw sighed. He looked at the velociraptor on the log and gave a loud barking growl, a form of intimidation among packs.

The velociraptor nearly tripped as it fled across the log to the other side.

"Maybe there aren't too many of them," Sophia stated. "One will not run away unless it's alone… usually."

"Or it's getting its pack." Silver Claw added. Silver Claw looked back to Amanda. She was near the first gate.

"Ok," Silver Claw said. "Let's catch her."

Both Silver Claw and Sophia surged forward at the fastest speed they could go on the flat but rough terrain. Amanda had reached the gate but stepped back wearily. Silver Claw could not see why.

Once close enough, Silver Claw jumped forward and grabbed hold of Amanda's shirt in his mouth. She screamed and dropped to the ground, crying.

"Amanda," Silver Claw said softly after releasing her.

She only cried. Sweat started to form on her skin.

"Amanda my love," Silver Claw said softly. "Please stop crying."

He touched his snout gently to her shoulder. She shrieked and started backing away from him until she hit the fence…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ellie's body trembled with nervousness as she pushed open the door. She stepped into a darkened room filled with a dozen or so people, flickering computer screens, and a single screen showing what appeared to be an island. The screen shifted and another island appeared on the screen. It was Isla Sorna.

A tall brown-haired woman looked up from the chart she appeared to be reading over and walked over to Ellie. She stopped a few feet in front of Ellie and looked to be examining her. "I presume you are Ellie."

"Yes," Ellie said, not knowing what else to say.

"Why are you here," the women asked.

"John Hammond offered me a job and I accepted," Ellie replied. Her legs felt as if they would give out at any moment. She started to sweat.

"What make you so special," the women asked in a cynical tone, "that he would even tell you about this place."

"Well, I lived on Isla Sorna for a short period of time," Ellie answered. A bead of sweat formed on her brow and she wiped it away. "It's hot in here," She remarked in a trembling tone.

A grinned formed on the women's face. "Nervous are we?"

"A little," Ellie admitted.

"Good, you need to be." The women said and took in a deep breath. "Come have a seat." She put her hand on Ellie's shoulder and led her to a desk. "Have a seat."

Ellie quickly sat down and watched as the women sat herself on the opposite side. The women put her feet on the desk and leaned back in the chair. She played with her hair for a moment.

"So Ellie," she started in a kinder tone. "What did John see in you that he wanted you here, there have been a few who have stepped foot on Sorna and lived but you're the first to end up here, what makes you special?"

"I can kind of speak…" Ellie trailed off. She felt embarrassed for some reason.

"You can speak what, another language? All of us here can do that, what makes you speak better than what we can?" The women questioned in an unsettling tone.

"I can speak velociraptor," Ellie said after some hesitation. He face turned a bright red.

"Now that is interesting, very interesting." The women said. She leaned further back in her chair and appeared to be thinking. "Very interesting indeed," she mumbled. "How did learn this, that is if you are speaking truthfully."

"A velociraptor named Silver Claw taught me," Ellie replied.

"Would this be you and him?" The women asked and leaned forward. She opened a drawer in her desk and slid a picture to Ellie.

Ellie looked at her and then picked up the picture and examined it. It was of Silver Claw, Amanda, Sunayana, and herself sleeping in a glass-encased hallway between two buildings. The image was distorted slightly the glare caused by the glass.

"Where did you get this?" Ellie asked in amazement. "There was no one near us, we would have noticed."

"You're in the picture," the women stated.

"Yes," Ellie said. She turned the picture and pointed to herself in it. "Right there, how did you get the picture though?"

"We have camera placed in different areas over the island," she replied. "Who is the other women that is sleeping nearly nude with that creature?"

"Oh that's Amanda," Ellie said. "That creature is a velociraptor and his name is Silver Claw." She stunned herself that she would defend against anyone calling Silver Claw by anything but his name.

"Why is she like that?"

"Some kind of dinosaur spit something on me and apparently it was toxic and I had to change but we couldn't leave because it was outside the door so Amanda offered two exchange clothing." Ellie felt flushed and embarrassed.

"Ok…," the women leaned forward and took the picture. "My name's Sandy White by the way, but you can call me Boss if you like."

"Alright," Ellie sighed and sank back in the chair slightly. She felt somewhat more relaxed now that she knew the women's name. "Are there anymore pictures?"

"None that contain any of you or this… Amanda," Sandy replied. "I am sorry to say."

"Oh," Ellie could only say.

"About the treatment a few moments ago," Sandy sighed. "It's kind of a policy to see how well the new employees handle the pressure."

"Oh, I see."

"I don't have an actual job for you at the moment," Sandy said and stood up, as did Ellie. "So feel free to wander around and get used the area and the people, if you need anything just ask. I'll notify you of any position I want you to fill when I find one."

"Ok," Ellie said, relaxed. She slowly started to move around the room and looked at the different monitors.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw's eyes widened as Amanda touched the fence. A moment passed and nothing happened.

It is not on, Silver Claw thought with relief. He saw how Amanda's lips trembled and her body shook in fear. His relief turned to distress of seeing her like this.

"Amanda," Silver Claw said. "It's me, you mate."

"Go away," Amanda shouted and covered her head with her arms and pulled her knees against her chest. She started to cry hysterically as she rocked her body back and forth.

Silver Claw could smell her fear mixed with the heavy scent of her sweating body. "Amanda," Silver Claw said softly. "I love, please don't be like this."

Sophia looked down for a moment. She walked over to Amanda and grabbed her pant leg. Amanda screamed and kicked as Sophia dragged her away from the fence.

"What are you doing?" Silver Claw asked, distressed.

"Moving her incase the fence comes on or something attacks us from the other side." Sophia said. Once she had moved Amanda far enough away, she forced Amanda to her back and placed her foot on Amanda's chest. "Amanda, snap out of it," she barked.

"Sophia!" Silver Claw nearly shouted.

"Amanda," Sophia snarled. "You're under the effects of that stupid plant, now snap out of it or I will be forced to do something neither of us would like."

Amanda's face flushed of its color and her breathing became labored. Sweat dripped down her face and body.

Silver Claw rushed to her side and looked at his mate fearfully. He watched as her eyes slowly turned to look in his. "Silver Claw…" she managed to say. It was almost inaudible but her condition was clear.

"I'm here my love," Silver Claw set down next to her and gently nuzzled her face. "Everything's going to be ok."

"We have to go," Sophia said suddenly.

Silver Claw looked at her and then towards where she was looking. Silver Claw's eyes widened. The spinosaurus was heading towards them. It was walking but awkwardly; it limped but it seemed almost drunkenly.

Silver Claw looked back at Amanda. "Can you get on my back?"

Amanda seemed to hiccup and then she turned her head to the side and threw up. Silver Claw turned his head away, the smell was revolting, even to him. When he looked back at her, she panted heavily.

"I… I… no," she said as her hand trembled to get to her mouth to whip the vomit.

"Sophia," Silver Claw said. "Help me get Amanda on my back."

Sophia nodded and moved to where she could help. Amanda groaned with discomfort as Sophia rolled Amanda onto Silver Claw's back and he stood up.

"How are we going to get out?" Sophia questioned. "I don't see any caves or breaks in the fence."

Silver Claw moved to the gate and examined it. He could not tell where the button was to open the gate. He looked back to see that the spinosaurus was gaining, although slowly.

"Can you see the button to open this Sophia?"

"The what," Sophia questioned.

"The button," Silver Claw repeated. He realized that she probably never opened any of the gates before. "Its round and is a different color than the metal it's on."

"Is this it?" Sophia questioned.

Silver Claw moved to her side of the fence and looked. She had found it. He pressed it, a hum went through the fence, and something clicked. A light on the gate blinked.

"Yes it is. Now, let's get out of here," Silver Claw said. He placed his forearms on the center of the gate and pulled back. It opened with a heavy screech as the rusted parts moved for the first time in years.

As they entered the space between the first gate and the second, Sophia closed the gate behind them. The gate clicked and the light blinked. Inside the space, Silver Claw could not see another button on either the gate or the area in between.

"Sophia, could you open the gate behind us?"

Sophia pushed on the gate, though she was unable to get it open. "I can't," she said after another try.

"I think we may be trapped in here," Silver Claw sighed and lowered his head.

"What's that?" Sophia questioned.

Silver Claw looked down and to his right foot. A small metal box sat on the ground. He slowly lowered himself to look at it. It had some strange symbol on it that he did not understand.

"Open it," Amanda mumbled in an ill tone.

Silver Claw reached out and his claw hooded the edge of something. He pulled back and the front fell off, the hinges it was on, swung freely without a door cover to support. Inside the box were a lever and a button. Silver Claw pushed the button and the gate hummed and clicked. Sophia moved to it and pushed it open then nodded to Silver Claw. He looked back at the lever.

"Sophia, don't touch the fence ok," Silver Claw said. When she far enough away, he press on the lever and it moved. A loud hum he recognized ran though the fence. Several parts of the fence sparked but it remained in working condition.

"Ok, let's go." Silver Claw passed Sophia but soon stopped.

"What is it?" Sophia questioned.

"Amanda backed away from the fence, why?" Silver Claw asked.

A snap sounded in the surrounding jungle. Silver Claw looked around quickly and then he saw it, a herrerasaur, though it was hard to tell through the thick jungle. Silver Claw hissed and backed towards the fence.

"Herrerasaurs," Silver Claw said.

A single herrerasaur emerged from the jungle with saliva dripping from its jaws. Whitish foam covered the outside of its mouth and a sickly hiss sounded. A tint of red glinted in the foam and on the teeth of the herrerasaurus.

"It has the sickness," Sophia said. "If we are bit, we will get it."

"I know," Silver Claw replied. "But it is between us and the rest of the road."

The herrerasaur staggered forward and opened its mouth in a display of dominance. Suddenly, it leapt forward. Both Sophia and Silver Claw moved out of the way and the herrerasaur could not keep its balance once it landed on the ground. It hit the fence in a flurry of sparks that showed the ground in white lights. It screeched out in pain and its body vibrated as the electrical current ran through its body.

Silver Claw and Sophia quickly ran down the center of the road. They followed it at nearly their top pace so that nothing would catch them if a creature emerged from the jungle. They Silver Claw was running only seemed to make Amanda more ill and it seemed that she would throw up at any moment.

The road curved slightly sharply as it rounded a large boulder. As they continued to progress, the crashing of waves against the rocky coast grew louder, they were less than one hundred meters from the ocean. The jungle became alive with the buzz of insects and frogs though it seemed faint in comparison to the ocean. Finally, Silver Claw slowed down and looked at Amanda.

Her face was pale but her breathing had returned to normal. He could feel that her body was not at such an elevated temperature as it was when she stopped panicking. She was getting better, slowly. In addition, her body was sweating less.

"How are you feeling?" Silver Claw asked.

"Sick," Amanda groaned.

"Well," Silver Claw sighed. "We're safe for the moment so you'll have time to recover."

"Silver Claw, we should get going," Sophia exclaimed.

Silver Claw looked at her and nodded. He looked back at Amanda, "Try to sleep, we'll keep you safe."

Amanda looked up and then buried her head in the base of his neck. She tightened her grip the best she could, which was not much but enough to keep her from falling off.

Silver Claw moved at a quick but easy pace so not to disturb Amanda. He looked around. To his left, the cliff extended high above. In front, the road continued onward with thick jungle hiding everything to the right side. The sky above glistened with stars, though a slight tint showed that it would be dawn soon.

"Why are we heading north," Sophia questioned. "This is the only way up to the top and it's bound to be guarded now that they know we are here."

"Amanda needs to be in a human structure," Silver Claw replied. "It is the safest place she could be because she would be protected against the weather and carnivores. Maybe I can talk to the greens and have them to leave us alone."

"You can't talk to them; they're vicious and merciless when it comes to protecting their territory." Sophia exclaimed. "Having Amanda only makes it worse especially if some of them are the original ones."

"I know that but as long as I live, I won't let anything harm her." Silver Claw replied.

The cliff sank away and jungle replaced it, though it was not out of sight. After a while, the ground became steep and another fence appeared. At both ends of the fence were cliffs that followed the road some ways and disappeared behind the wall of jungle. A single gate stood before them, the only passage between the bottom of the cliff and the pat to the top.

Sophia sighed. "Do you still wish to go?"

Silver Claw nodded and moved towards the gate. A small rock dropped by him and he looked up. The same velociraptor that was on the log, stood looking down upon them again.

"Who are you?" Silver Claw shouted.

The raptor turned and fled into the jungle behind it.

A deep bellow sounded from the canyon and a loud crackle echoed. A second, louder roar echoed outward and the sound of wires ripped from their position followed.

"Ok," Sophia said. She moved to the gate and looked at it. She quickly found the button and pressed it. The gate creaked open as the lock holding it shut moved.

Silver Claw quickly entered the small space and then Sophia. Both Silver Claw and Sophia quickly pulled back on the gate until it clicked again and the gate held shut by itself.

Silver Claw turned around to see that the road ahead was nearly indistinguishable from the jungle. Another rock turned their attention upward again. The same raptor stood watching them.

"Who are you?" Silver Claw shouted again.

The velociraptor disappeared again.

"I'm already tired of that one," Sophia sighed. "You speak to him and he runs away."

"Well," Silver Claw replied. "At least he seems to be the only one."

"Yeah, I guess that's good." Sophia said and moved towards the jungle ahead of them. "He hasn't call for a pack either."

A snap sounded from outside the fence. Silver Claw looked to see the spinosaurus burst from the jungle and head towards them. Silver Claw quickly ran forward, disrupting Amanda's resting state.

"What's going on," she moaned sickly.

"The spinosaurus found us again." Silver Claw replied. "Hang on tight Amanda."

Silver Claw quickened his pace, though it made it harder to dodge the vegetation in his path. The cliffs on both sides of the road lessened until only jungle surrounded them.

The loud twang of the snapping wires as the spinosaurus broke through the fence sounded. A deafening roar followed heavy footsteps, as the spinosaurus grew closer.

Out of the corner of his eye, Silver Claw noticed a small movement of green. Then, the jungle opened up and he could see it. The velociraptor had followed them since the log and now was running with them. It seemed to gesture with its head to follow him.

Sophia saw it too. "Should we?"

"He may be able to keep us safe from the spinosaurus," Silver Claw sighed. He turned with Sophia and followed the green velociraptor, though they could not gain much more than a few feet on him.

"He's fast," Silver Claw said.

"Yeah," Sophia agreed. "A little too fast… I wonder where the rest of his pack is."

"Close by most likely," Silver Claw exclaimed.

They suddenly emerged into a small glade with an adult tyrannosaurus staring down at them. Its grey form of muscle and scales towered over them. The scarred head of the tyrannosaurus looked down at them. Huge pencil length teeth stuck out of either side of the maw and huge nostrils flared as it exhaled. The rex's head turned slightly to reveal a white eye then the head turned to the other side where a deep yellow eye that quickly fixated on them. A low growl escaped the throat of the massive dinosaur and it bellowed.

The call of the spinosaurus responded and just as Silver Claw and Sophia moved out of the way, the spinosaurus burst from the trees and sank its teeth into the tyrannosaur's snout.

The sound of the fighting tyrants slowly faded into the background as Silver Claw and Sophia surged away from the fight. The sound of snapping trees echoed through the air.

"He led us into a trap," Sophia exclaimed. "If not for the spinosaurus that rex could have got us!"

"I know, but the spinosaurus would have got us if it were not for that rex." Silver Claw slowed to a walk.

"Why do you say that," Sophia questioned.

Silver Claw staggered to keep his balance suddenly and winced in pain. "I'm injured."

"What, where," Sophia questioned almost in utter panic.

"My foot," Silver Claw replied. "A stone became lodged between my claws when were in the canyon but running made it fall out and now it's in the bottom of my foot."

"We have to pull it out," Sophia exclaimed.

"I know," Silver Claw said. "First, we have to find somewhere to rest for a while."

"Are you sure, it would be quick." Sophia said.

"Amanda has to stay on my back until we're safe." Silver Claw said. "She would have to get off for me too get it out."

"Alright but it could get worse if you wait."

"I know," Silver Claw replied. He slowly limped forward.

He continued to limp as they traveled quietly though the jungle. The trees were tall and thick. The canopy above began to close in as they progressed deeper into the unknown territory. Occasionally, the sound of light footsteps sounded from around them, something was following them.

"What do you think they're doing?" Sophia questioned.

"I don't know," Silver Claw sighed. "I don't like it though."

They passed through a large area of ferns and stopped. Before them stood a small glade with a lone tree at its center. Several large boulders dotted the area.

"Maybe we should stay here for now," Sophia said. "It looks somewhat safe."

"I agree," Silver Claw limped to the base of the tree and looked at Amanda. "Are you asleep?"

"No," she groaned.

"Well, I'm going to lie down." Silver Claw said. "We're going to stay here for a little while ok?"

Amanda nodded. Once Silver Claw was on the ground, she slowly slid off and leaned against him. Her breathing was heavy and she seemed to be sweating more.

"How are you feeling Amanda?" Sophia asked.

Amanda groaned and slowly looked to her, "Better that I was."

"That's good," Sophia said and noticed Silver Claw's foot. "Would you like me to pull that stone out of your foot?"

Silver Claw looked at the wound and stretched out his leg. "Please."

Sophia moved to where she could see his wound clearly and examined it. She gently reached down and bit what she could of the stone and slowly it pulled out. Silver Claw whimpered as tremors shook his body from what pain it caused him. Once it was out, Sophia spit it too one side and examined the wound again. The blood that leaked from the wound clouded some of what she could see but it appeared she got it all. She gently licked the wound, which caused Silver Claw to whimper again.

"Sorry," Sophia said. "I though it may help it."

Silver Claw looked at her and cocked his head.

"Remember my mother would lick our wounds we received when playing," Sophia said. "She said that it would help us get better."

"Yeah I remember," Silver Claw smiled.

Amanda shifted until he head rested squarely on his back. She closed her eyes.

"Goodnight Amanda," Silver Claw said. She nodded in response.

"I'll keep watch," Sophia said. "You rest."

"Thank you," Silver Claw said and laid his head on the ground. He kept his leg stretched out.

A scratching sounded on the tree, it sounded like a lizard was climbing it. Sophia perked her head up.

"Do you hear that," Sophia asked.

"It sounds like a lizard," Silver Claw said with his head resting on the ground.

"Still, I'm going to check it out." Sophia said and moved around the tree. After a minute, she emerged on the other side.

"You find anything," Silver Claw asked sleepily.

"No, but I heard something that sounded like a raptor purring." Sophia replied. "Was it you?"

"No," Silver Claw said.

"I wonder if that green is still around." Sophia sighed. "I don't want to be ambushed while Amanda and you are like this."

"I'm sure he's far away by now," Silver Claw said and closed his eyes. "Do you think you could help me keep Amanda warm? She's starting to get a little cool."

"How," Sophia questioned.

"Just lean against her or cover her legs," Silver Claw said.

Sophia tilted her head and laid to Amanda's right. She rested her head on Silver Claw's back.

"Don't fall asleep." Silver Claw said.

"I won't," Sophia sighed and tilted her head to get it more comfortable.

"You want to know something," Silver Claw moved his head next to Amanda.

"What," Sophia asked.

"I think you're starting to enjoy Amanda's company," Silver Claw replied. "I think you respect her."

"Shut up and go to sleep," Sophia laughed humorlessly.

In the tree above them, a pair of bright blue eyes watched them wearily but with an aura of curiosity surrounded the creature. His head tilted slightly as he examined the new creatures in his home. Slowly, he rested on a branch and let his legs hang beneath him as he continued to keep an examining eye on them. He purred softly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: Can anyone guess what Ellie will be doing in later chapters?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	31. The Forgotten One

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 31: The Forgotten One

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: Please tell me what you think of this new character, I hope I did not make another Lance. As well, I would like to let you know that I have created another story, _Monster Hunter Depths of Darkness_. I hope you like it was well. I'm wondering if you think I should add another dream into the story, if you think so, please say in a review.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw slowly awoke to the soft chirping of distant birds. He opened his eyes to see that it was noon and the sun was beating down on him. He slowly turned his head to see that Amanda was sleeping soundly. Sophia was also asleep with her head on his hip. She must have fallen asleep shortly after he did, Silver Claw thought. She did seem tired when he fell asleep. At least they were safe.

Silver Claw smiled as his attention turned back to his mate. The color in Amanda's face had returned to normal and she seemed much better that she did during the night. Her hair fanned out across his back and hung over her shoulders. It glistened in a dark shine under the midday light. A slight twitch showed that her eyes were moving under her closed eyelids.

Slowly, Silver Claw nuzzled her face. When she moved slightly, he pulled away. He did not want to wake her, at least not yet. She needed to rest for now and regain her strength so she could get around on her own. Hopefully she would be strong enough to move about before dusk; he wanted to reach the building before dark so that he would not have to worry about her safety as much, especially if they found a room with a lock.

Silver Claw noticed an odd smell that hung in the air. It smelled like another velociraptor was close, very close. He could not see one though which confused him slightly because the scent was so close. Maybe a breeze carried the smell, he thought. Silver Claw sniffed the air to make sure that nothing was nearby but picked up a smell that told him there was a compsognathus injured and close to death not far away from him, just beyond a wall of brush.

His mouth started to fill with saliva and he slowly slipped out from under Sophia and Amanda. The scent of blood was intoxicating. He gently moved so that they slid off his back and to the ground softly. Once he was free of them, Silver Claw stood up. A light tingling sensation was in his foot and felt like tiny thorns were pricking it repeatedly. It felt odd and uncomfortable to walk on as he headed towards the compsognathus, somewhere behind a thick wall of ferns and other plants. Silver Claw slowly limped towards the smell and disappeared into the undergrowth with a little bit of a rustle.

A soft purring filled the glade but quickly stopped as Sophia stirred slightly. Sophia slowly opened her eyes to see that Silver Claw was nowhere in sight. She slowly lifted her head and looked around but she still could not see him anywhere in the glade.

"Silver Claw," Sophia questioned nervously as she scanned the surrounding area. She sniffed the air as her heartbeat quickened. She could smell blood, though she could not tell what kind, whether velociraptor or something else. Her eyes widened.

Sophia jumped to her feet and raced towards where the scent originated. She quickly disappeared into the undergrowth and the glade again became quiet again. Amanda was now alone and quietly sleeping under the tree.

A pair of blue eyes watched the sleeping human with a heightening curiosity. The creature then looked up to see that Sophia had found Silver Claw but they were not returning yet but instead fighting over some scraps of food, whether it was playing of not was not clear to the creature. Its gaze returned to Amanda. Slowly, the creature moved further up the branch and hopped down, landing with a quiet thud.

Slowly its head moved in front of Amanda's face and sniffed the air around her. Its bright blue eyes watched her curiously and excitedly.

"Stop it Silver Claw," Amanda moaned and shifted.

The creature tilted his head and returned to sniffing the air around Amanda.

"Stop it," Amanda moaned. She reached up and pushed away the head of who she thought to be Silver Claw.

The creature moved its head away from her hand and snorted.

"I'm trying to rest. What do you want Silver Claw," Amanda moaned and rubbed her eyes. A foul breath washed over her, it did not smell like Silver Claw's breath normally did, more like fish than the meat of a carcass he fed upon.

"I'm not Silver Claw," the creature replied softly.

Amanda's eyes opened widely to see an adult velociraptor standing over her. It was not Silver Claw but in fact, as Silver Claw and Sophia called them, a green. She screamed and scrambled to be against the trunk of the tree, expecting another velociraptor to behind her but found none. Her eyes locked on the green velociraptor, she prepared herself for an attack.

"Amanda," Silver Claw called out as he approached. His footsteps quickly grew louder by the second.

The green velociraptor lowered his head and started to back away from Amanda almost fearfully. Amanda took the opportunity to scramble to her feet and dash towards where she heard Silver Claw's voice. As Silver Claw broke from the jungle, he passed Amanda with out a single glance to see if she was injured and jumped into the air, landing on the green velociraptor with a terrifyingly loud shriek of anger and rage.

Silver Claw pinned the green velociraptor to the ground with ease. It was too easy in fact; the green had not put up a fight at all, not even a slight nip. Silver Claw put his foot on the green velociraptors neck and held it down. Silver Claw hissed angrily at raptor but did not kill him. He wanted to question it first, though if it tried anything he would kill it.

Sophia emerged from the jungle and had Amanda follow her to a short distance behind Silver Claw. Sophia kept a watchful eye on the surrounding jungle for any sign of the greens pack.

"What were you doing so close to Amanda?" Silver Claw snarled angrily.

The green velociraptor closed his eyes and whimpered. Silver Claw found it almost pathetic. Silver Claw snorted and pushed down harder on the green's neck.

"What were you doing?" Silver Claw snarled loudly.

"Don't yell at me," the green whimpered and tried to hide his head under his forearm but Silver Claw would not allow it.

Silver Claw cocked his head but kept his weight press against the velociraptor. He looked at Sophia after a moment. Sophia had the same puzzled expression as Silver Claw. This was not how the green velociraptor acted from what they had learned in stories their parents told them as hatchlings. His voice sounded like that of a hatchling without experience of the world around it, of its dangers, of its ways.

"Amanda," Silver Claw asked. "Did this velociraptor harm you?"

"No," Amanda replied. "I thought it was you sniffing me. I pushed his head away but he never actually touched me even after I did that to him."

Silver Claw looked at Sophia and then around. There was no sign of movement anywhere around them. Slowly, Silver Claw stepped off the velociraptor and moved in front of Amanda in a protective manner, keeping his body between her and the green velociraptor. He kept his claws ready incase anything happened and he would have to pounce.

The green velociraptor righted his body and tucked his head under his left forearm. He whimpered loudly. Small tremors ran the length of his body.

Sophia slowly looked to Silver Claw. "Is it really a green?"

Silver Claw cocked his head. "Why were you near Amanda?"

The green velociraptor tucked his head under his arm further. He stopped whimpering but did not answer.

"Answer me," Silver Claw said.

"No," the green said in an innocent but child like tone.

"Yes," Silver Claw snorted.

"You yelled at me," the green replied.

Silver Claw was dumbstruck. This green was slightly large than he was but put up no fight and it acted like a hatchling when a parent would yell at them for doing something wrong. The way he curled up was like any hatchling would when upset or yelled at, or scared. Silver Claw lowered his feathers as he remembered the day his mother died and how he reacted to her death in the same manner this green velociraptor was.

"Why were you near my mate?" Silver Claw asked again.

The raptor remained silent.

Silver Claw looked at Sophia and tilted his head. "Would you give it a try Sophia?"

Sophia sighed. "Why were you near Amanda and why won't you answer Silver Claw?"

The green velociraptor slowly pulled his head out from under him and looked up, though he kept his head low. His blue eyes glinted in the midday light as he replied. "I never saw a human up close and I was curious about them. I didn't want to harm her."

"Where is your pack?" Silver Claw asked.

The green velociraptor turned his head away from Silver Claw and tilted his snout upward. The green velociraptor snorted.

Even though her heart raced and her breathing was heavier that normal, Amanda managed to chuckle slightly and then rubbed Silver Claw's neck to calm him. She did not know why but she kind of liked this raptor, he seemed interesting enough that she would not mind keeping him around.

"Where is your pack?" Sophia asked after Silver Claw looked at her again.

The green turned his head to look at her. "I don't have one," he said innocently. "Would you be my friend?"

Sophia cocked her head, "What?"

"Would you be my friend," he repeated. "It's been a long, long, long time since I saw another like me."

"I'm not like you," Sophia snorted with the anger clearly heard in her voice and tone.

The green velociraptor whimpered.

"How long has it been since you saw another like you?" Amanda asked curiously.

The green velociraptor turned his head like he did to Silver Claw.

"What did I do?" Amanda asked.

"You screamed at me," the green said in reply.

"You scared me," Amanda shot back in an unthreatening tone.

"I'm sorry," the green velociraptor said and lowered his head. He looked back at her with an expression that reminded Amanda of puppy eyes.

"So how long has it been since you saw another like you?" Amanda asked.

"Aren't you going to say sorry for screaming?" The green asked in an innocent tone.

"Ok, I'm sorry I screamed at you." Amanda said. She smiled unintentionally. He was like her younger cousin in the way he acted; her cousin was only three when she last saw him before the boat incident that left her on Isla Sorna.

"Thank you," the green purred. "I haven't seen another like me since yesterday when I saw these two."

"How about be for then," Silver Claw said.

The green raptor turned his head away again.

"Could you please answer him," Amanda said.

"Why will he not say sorry to me?" The velociraptor asked. "He was very mean when I was on that fallen tree. I don't like it when I get yelled at."

"I think it's because you scared him," Amanda said. Silver Claw looked at her questionably.

"How did I scare him?"

"He thought you were going to hurt me," Amanda said. "He doesn't want anything to happen to me because he cares a lot for me."

"I'm sorry for scaring you," the green said.

Silver Claw was silent.

"Silver Claw, if you want him to talk to you, you will have to apologize," Amanda said. "Be nice to him, he hasn't done anything to us. He didn't even fight back when you pushed him to the ground."

Silver Claw snorted, "I'm sorry." He looked to Amanda and quietly said, "Why did I have to do that exactly?"

"Yay," the green jumped to his feet. He was larger than Silver Claw in length but not height. He stood at the same height as Sophia. His body was muscular but not as much as Loki. His eye glinted bright blue in the light as he bobbed his head repeatedly out of excitement.

Silver Claw raised his claws higher as an act of caution.

"Will you be my friends now?" The velociraptor asked excitedly.

"How about we find out your name first," Amanda said.

"My name is Zenith The Forgotten One," he replied. "My mom said that it was a strong name, I don't know what it means though. I miss her."

"Where is your mother," Sophia asked.

"She went hunting," Zenith replied. "That was about two years ago, I hope she comes home soon."

Sophia, Amanda and Silver Claw looked at each other.

"How old were you when she left?" Sophia asked.

"A few weeks," Zenith said without hesitation. "It might have been slightly less than that, but I can't remember. It was a long, long time ago."

"You've been alone since you were a few weeks old?" Silver Claw questioned in disbelief.

"Not alone," Zenith replied.

"Who have you been with?" Amanda asked.

"They don't have names," Zenith replied. "You saw one of them yesterday."

"No we didn't," Silver Claw said.

"The big one with one white eye," Zenith said.

"The tyrannosaurus…" Silver Claw said sharply.

"Ty…rann…osaur…us?" Zenith pronounced slowly and then more excitedly added, "Is that his name?"

"No, that is what he is," Silver Claw explained. "Like you are a velociraptor," under his breath, he added. "I think."

"No I'm Zenith," the green velociraptor replied.

Silver Claw shook his head, "Never mind."

"Will you be my friends?" Zenith asked again.

"Sure," Amanda said before Silver Claw or Sophia could answer.

"Yay," Zenith jumped up and down several times before running up to Sophia and nuzzling her head.

Sophia snarled and Zenith backed away quickly. "Why are you mad at me?"

"Don't touch me," Sophia said harshly.

"I'm sorry," Zenith said and lowered his head. "I was just happy; none of my other friends can talk to me, well that I can understand."

"Where do you live?" Amanda asked, hoping he may know where the building was.

"You want to know?" Zenith said joyfully.

"Well, you are our friend now," Amanda said, "And we don't have a home to go to right now."

"It's a big place with lots of lights that twinkle like the sun and in different colors," Zenith said. "The lights change color and have shapes moving in them."

"A building," Amanda said.

"No silly, a nest." Zenith said. He purred.

"Could you show us?" Amanda asked.

The green velociraptors head perked up. "Ok but first what are your names." His head bobbed up and down excitedly.

"I'm Amanda," Amanda said and then gesture to Silver Claw. "This is my mate Silver Claw and," Amanda pointed to Sophia. "That is Sophia."

"Sophia," Zenith said looking at Sophia. "That's a pretty name for a pretty girl."

Amanda laughed quietly. Sophia's scales however reddened and she showed her teeth. It was hard to tell whether she turned red out of anger or embarrassment.

"Ok Amanda, Sophia, Silver Claw, let's go." Zenith said and disappeared behind the tree in an almost hopping movement.

"Would you like to carry you now that we're following him," Silver Claw said in a tone that clearly showed his annoyance with her.

"No, I'll walk." Amanda said. She rubbed his head.

"You know this could be a trap," Sophia warned. "He could be lying about all this and have his pack attack us while we follow him."

"I don't think so," Amanda replied and walked past Silver Claw. "Just be nice for a while and we'll see what he's like, ok?"

"He's too much of a hatchling," Silver Claw commented as he followed Amanda. He walked with a slight limp because of his injured foot. "He could be crazy for all we know."

Sophia nodded her head and followed behind Silver Claw.

Zenith was at the edge of the glade watching with curious eyes. Once they were close enough, he turned and moved into the jungle. Amanda noticed his tail moved in almost a wagging motion as he walked in front of them. He kept glancing back to them and smiling.

Zenith suddenly turned around and started walking backwards. "Can I ask you some questions?"

"Sure, I guess." Amanda replied. She was shocked that a velociraptor could walk like he was.

Zenith started speaking very quickly and it was hard to distinguish one word from another. His tone showed pure excitement and curiosity.

"Slow down," Amanda said. "I can't understand what you're asking us."

"I'm sorry," He lowered his head.

"It's ok, you were just excited." Amanda said and put her hand on Silver Claw's back. "Just ask us one at a time and wait for the answer."

"Ok," Zenith said. He suddenly lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah," He replied and hopped to his feet. He moved next to Amanda.

"Not so close," Silver Claw warned with his head feathers high.

Zenith backed away slightly.

"Be nice Silver Claw," Amanda said. "He just wants to talk to me."

Silver Claw looked away.

"Why doesn't he like me," Zenith asked softly.

"We've had some trouble with a velociraptor that looked kind of like you." Amanda said.

"What kind of trouble?" Zenith asked curiously.

"The one like you killed Silver Claw's parents and siblings," Amanda stated softly. "He also tried to kill us not too long ago."

Zenith looked down and away. "I'm sorry I asked."

"So how about you," Amanda asked. "What were you doing when you first saw us?"

"Exploring," Zenith said plainly.

"Did you find anything," Amanda asked.

"I found some nice rocks," Zenith said. "They were too big for me to take home though. Maybe I can show you to them sometime."

"Maybe," Amanda sighed. Zenith was not what she expected a velociraptor to act like. He was an adult but never really grew out of his child hood. She like that they had one him instead of another of his kind to be around.

"Where did you come from?" Zenith asked out of the blue.

"Some place far away," Amanda said.

"How about you pretty girl," Zenith asked.

Sophia did not acknowledge him.

"Sophia I think he's talking to you," Amanda said.

Sophia turned her head to look at Amanda and Zenith, "Far away as well, same as Silver Claw."

"Maybe I'll see it someday," Zenith said and jumped ahead. He hummed loudly and his tail continued its wagging motion.

Silver Claw looked at Amanda once Zenith was far enough away, he whispered, "Amanda, you're being too trust full of this green."

"What's your problem Silver Claw," Amanda asked softly.

"You're my problem," Silver Claw snapped suddenly.

Amanda stopped and looked at him with teary eyes. She turned away from him and started running into the jungle away from him. She tried to keep herself from crying.

"Amanda," Silver Claw shouted, "Amanda stop!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loki stared down at the ruin that was his nest. A confliction of anger and sorrow raged through his body. He let out an infuriated roar. Not moments, he had found the skeletal remains of one of his pack, picked clean by procompsognathus and other scavengers.

"A little sad are we," a familiar voice said.

"Tyrannous!" Loki roared. He jerked his head back and forth to find him but could not.

"Up here," Tyrannous said.

Loki turned his head up to see Tyrannous perched in a tree. His scarred body looked liked his own.

"Let's finish what we started," Loki hissed. "You will pay for what you did to my pack."

"You mean that body," Tyrannous said. "I believe his name was Mark."

"How dare you come here," Loki roared. He hissed and puffed up his body to make himself look bigger. His claws raised and so did his feathers.

"Why don't you come up here," Tyrannous mocked. "Oh wait, you can't, your kind is incapable of climbing trees unlike my kind, too bad."

A rustling in the bushes turned Loki's attention. Three velociraptors jumped into view and they were ready to kill. It was Sunayana, Blaze, and Anna.

"Loki," Anna stumbled in disbelief.

"Anna," Loki said. "You're, you're alive. Sunayana and Blaze you too."

"Where have you been?" Sunayana asked.

"One moment," Loki said and looked back to the tree to see that Tyrannous was gone, "Tyrannous you coward!"

"Tyrannous was here," Sunayana hissed. "Now we have two greens to deal with."

"What," Loki's feathers stood on end.

"There's another, Alex. He's the one who kill Mark." Anna snarled. "We should leave before either one comes back. Oh… Loki, Jack was attacked yesterday, but don't worry, he's getting better."

"What happened?" Loki asked mournfully. He did not want to bear the pain of losing his father.

"I'll explain on the way," Anna said. She walked up to him and nuzzled him lovingly. "I missed you my love," she said with affectionate eyes staring into his eyes.

Loki smiled and licked her snout. "I missed you too. Just wait until you hear what happed to me while I was gone."

"It'll have to wait," Sunayana said. "We have company."

The heavy thud, thud, thud of approaching footsteps shook the ground underfoot; the roar that followed said it was a tyrannosaurus. Loki, Sunayana, Blaze, and Anna turned and disappeared into the jungle heading towards the Building complex.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ellie stood with shaky legs. Gunshots rang out around her. She looked at the target at the end of a corridor.

"Come on Ellie, you can do it. Just squeeze the trigger." Sandy said encouragingly.

Ellie closed her eyes and pulled the trigger. A loud bang rang out and she nearly fell over from the recoil, she did not expect it. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she had completely missed the target.

"Not bad for your first try," Sandy said with a sigh. "You did have some problems though. I saw that you closed your eyes before you shot the gun. You can't do that."

"I don't think I'll ever be firing the gun so why do I need to know this." Ellie asked loudly as more shots rang out around her.

"You'll have to carry a weapon incase anything happens on the ground," Sandy said. "I have to know you have our backs incase something does go wrong. Now, try again but do not close you eyes."

Ellie aimed the pistol and forced her eyes to stay open. She fired. A small hole appeared at the edge of the paper target.

"Good, very good," Sandy said. "Let's see if you can't get better though."

Ellie swallowed a gulp of air and aimed the pistol again…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda raced through the jungle. Silver Claw was behind her. He had snapped at her, why? It hurt to hear her mate get angry at her for no reason. Her heart and mind raced in search of a reason for what he had done, she found none.

"Amanda," Silver Claw called out to her but she did not respond.

Amanda swerved to the right and hid herself in a grove of a large tree. She watched as Silver Claw ran by first, then Sophia, and finally Zenith. Amanda closed her eyes and sighed. She turned around and started to climb the tree. As she reached the first branch, she heard a rustling in the bushes below her.

From the bushes, jump a small creature. It stood about as high as a compsognathus but was longer, not by much though. Its bony frill and small beak distinguished it as a microceratops. She must have scared it when she went to hide, Amanda thought.

The small microceratops ran across the path that the velociraptors had gone and disappeared into some more bushes. Amanda continued higher until she was out of reach of all but the tallest carnivores. A groove in the tree provided a stable seat, at least more stable than the branches.

"Amanda," Silver Claw called out. He was some ways away.

Amanda started to cry. She loved him but she did not what to be near him if he was going to snap like he did. Why did he snap at her the way he did, she kept asking herself. Did he like her anymore, or did that time spent on the mainland sever their friendship too much. What did she do to upset him anyway?

"Silver Claw," Amanda sobbed softly.

A heavy breeze swept up against the tree and Amanda nearly lost her balance. She desperately clung to the large branches around her. Suddenly, a loud crack of thunder sounded over head. Dark clouds were already beginning to block out the light of the sun. A storm was moving in, quickly.

Amanda could not hear Silver Claw calling for her anymore. He must have been too far away. She tried calling out but she received no response. Amanda eyed the surrounding area wearily before she descended the tree.

As Amanda touched the ground, she bolted towards where she last saw Silver Claw and the other two heading. A crack of thunder overhead made Amanda shriek in fright. Then she heard a dreaded noise. She managed to move under a tree just a thick sheet of rain pelted the jungle canopy and sank through to the jungle floor.

The rain forced leaves to droop until they looked ready to break. The constant beat was like drums. The smell of the different species of plants became heavy in the air. The distance Amanda could see dropped dramatically as the rain came down in heavier waves. Branches broke in the canopy above as the rain combined with the wind became more intense.

Amanda's body quivered as the cold got to her. A strong wind sprayed her with rain and drenched her clothing. Amanda's hair clung to her skin in thick clumps which only added to her misery.

"Silver Claw," Amanda shouted in a vein attempt to call him to her.

A ripple in a pool of water caught her attention. It rippled again and then she felt it, a rumble in the earth. Something large was coming her way.

Amanda's breathing became heavy. She could not get caught, she had to move, but she did not know where the creature was approaching from.

A massive roar sounded to her right and she bolted. Amanda raced through the pouring rain. Its constant beat stung as it hit her bare face with heavy cold droplets. The icy water chilled her skin and parts of her began to go numb from the cold.

It seemed that the tyrannosaurus had not seen her or knew of her presence because it did not give chase. Amanda wanted to stop but she could bring herself to because her body might freeze if she did not keep up the movement.

The canopy above offered some protection from the rain but not much. She pushed past a large fern and found herself in a glade. She looked around for anything to use as shelter but found none. Amanda knew she could not call out for help. The tyrannosaurus was too close for her to comfortably make a run for it if it did come after her and Silver Claw might not be able to hear her, or not want to.

A grim thought crossed Amanda mind. What if Silver Claw no longer loved her like he did before? What if in the time she was away, he fell for Sophia and only stuck with her out of obligation?

Tears rolled down Amanda face though with the rain it was impossible to tell. Amanda ran forward into the rain disappeared into the foliage of the other side of the small glade.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: The next chapter is called A Night Alone. Please Review.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	32. A Night Alone

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 32: A Night Alone

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author note: Sorry for the wait but a computer virus forced me to wipe my computer a few times to get rid of it. Fortunately the virus is now gone and my story files were on a flash drive that was not affected though I could not open them because I did not have Microsoft Word over the Christmas holidays.

I would like to say thank you to St. Alicon who is now my beta reader.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A torrential downpour drenched the jungle in massive waves that bent branches and lashed the ground. Silver Claw shuddered as the rain pounded his scaly hide. His breathing was heavy and his heart raced. He called out in vain for Amanda, but his voice was lost in the roaring wind and crackling thunder.

"We have to find shelter Silver Claw," Sophia shouted over the storm. "This is too much. We have to find somewhere safe to rest until the storm is over."

"We have to find Amanda first," Silver Claw shot back. "I will not leave her alone in this weather. She can't survive out here in the rain."

"What about us Silver Claw, I'm starting to feel the affects of this cold air already and I know you are too. Anyway… we should have found her!" Sophia said. "She could never have out run us, even here, in this jungle!"

"She's right Silver Claw," Zenith said warily, ready incase Silver Claw snapped at him. "I lost her scent not long after we started chasing her."

Silver Claw roared and lashed out at a tree with his claws leaving several large gashes in the soft bark. "Why did I have to yell at her?"

Sophia looked at him mournfully. "It's not your fault Silver Claw. She shouldn't have run like that."

A massive gale suddenly ripped through the jungle and toppled several trees in the distance. The icy wind cut though Silver Claw like talons though his hide. He let out a low sob and turned to head back down the path they had come from, determined to find Amanda no matter the cost.

"Where are you going?" Sophia asked.

"To find Amanda," Silver Claw said as he passed her. "I don't care how cold or wet I get I will not stop looking for her until she is found."

Sophia sighed and followed behind him. She shook the water from the water, only to have it released moments after. She glanced at Zenith. He showed no signs of fatigue or of the cold affecting him.

How could that be, Sophia thought to herself. Was it that he was just trying not to show it or was it that he was more adapt to the type of weather they were in.

Zenith quickly moved to catch up. He positioned himself beside Sophia with his head tilted enough to keep her with in his range of sight. Though, his gaze soon focused on her amber eyes.

"Silver Claw," Sophia said reluctantly. There was little chance that Amanda would be found anytime soon and she was tired. "She could be anywhere by now. We don't even know which way she ran."

"There has to be a trail," Silver Claw said. "She has to be around here somewhere!"

"The rain has probably washed it away Silver Claw," Sophia argued.

Silver Claw stopped and slowly turned to face her. "Why don't you want me to find her?"

"I do want you to find her, it's just that I don't think we will in this storm," Sophia replied. "She's smart enough to know not to stay in this weather. Amanda probably found a place to stay by now."

"And if she didn't," Silver Claw said sharply. "She can't tolerate this weather like we can. She doesn't have the clothing she would need to stay out here. She can't protect herself out here. Now please stop arguing with me and help me find her."

Silver Claw turned around and took a step forward. He slipped. The ground was a mess of mud and wet leaves. His body hit the ground and started to slide down a steep embankment hidden from view by a sagging branch.

Silver Claw started to roll down the slope and suddenly, he felt pain explode in his chest. His breathing turned heavy and he roared loudly in agony. He hit the bottom of the embankment. He heard faint voices and his eyes rolled up. Darkness enveloped him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda stood under a large tree that provided only a minimal amount of protection from the elements. Her body trembled and stung from the cold wind and rain. With squinted eyes, she looked out through the sheets of rain for any sign of danger. As of yet, she had found none though it was hard for her too see beyond the trees and the rain did not help. She hoped there was nothing watching her.

Why had she run away from Silver Claw? She loved him and he loved her. A small feeling nagged at her though. Did he truly love her in the first place? He did not seem to have any attraction to other raptors… though he did want children.

"No," Amanda whined as she tried to push the thought from her mind. He did love her. He asked her to be his mate, no one else, only her or at least that is what she thought. What if he had asked someone else to be his mate but was rejected?

A low rumble sounded through the rain. It was the tyrannosaurus. Amanda forced all but one thought out of her mind, she had to live. Her attention was now fully on the environment around her.

Amanda looked desperately for any sign of the rex but she could not see it and she did not want to run out blindly incase it was waiting for her just beyond her line of sight. A small branch snapped to her far right and a thunderous roar bellowed from the jungle. It seemed that the tyrannosaurus had not found her but was in fact wandering the jungle, maybe in search of shelter, or its next meal, though it was only a matter of time before it stumbled upon her if she did not move and soon.

A chill raced down Amanda's spine as her body attempted to warm itself. A branch snapped. The tyrannosaurus was getting closer. Amanda finally forced herself into the rain. She could not afford to have the tyrannosaurus find her. She had to survive.

Amanda pushed past a large fern as she reentered the thicker section of the jungle. The low rumble of the tyrannosaurus faded away but a sudden clap of thunder made her jump and start running forward. She swerved through the thick clusters of trees. She needed somewhere safe to stay until the storm ended, preferably warm and out of sight, if only she knew where the building was.

A massive gust of wind tore through the jungle and Amanda shrieked as a tree fell only a few meters in front of her. Her shriek was responded to by a roar. Amanda's eyes widened as the earth beneath her feet began to shake. She desperately looked around for a spot to hide. She found it; a cluster of rocks and shrubs off to her left. It wasn't much but it would have to do.

Amanda dove into it without a second thought and nearly held her breath in anxiety of the approaching tyrant. Within a few long moments, the lumbering tyrannosaurus moved into view. She could see it though a tiny hole in the brush, her only hope was that I could not see her.

The large form had water pouring off its sides in massive waterfalls. A foul odor filled the air around it. It smelt of rotting flesh and urine. Amanda nearly gagged as the smell entered her nose but held it back for fear of being discovered. After a while, the smell was so nauseating that Amanda started to feel lightheaded.

A heavy exhalation from the tyrannosaurus flared its long tear like nostrils and sent thick cloud of visible breath into the rain. The tyrannosaurus raised its head and roared, perhaps in an attempt to draw out what it was searching for. It was a dreadfully loud noise that forced Amanda to cover her ears and nearly make her scream in fright.

The tyrannosaurus slowly turned its head from side to side as it tried to decide which way Amanda had gone. If it were not for the rain, the tyrannosaurus would have found her. Slowly, the tyrannosaurs lumbered off into the storm and out of sight.

Amanda sighed quietly and relaxed. She felt the rain roll down her shoulders from where the bush opened slightly to the sky. Amanda reached down to her leg to scratch an itch and felt and odd lump. She looked down to see that a fat leach had attached itself to her leg just above the ankle.

She held back the urge to scream. If there was one thing she hated above most others, it was leaches. They were slimy, dissolute creatures that grew fat off of your blood. Amanda grabbed the creature with trembling fingers and ripped it off her. It had not yet had a chance to draw blood. She gagged as the slimy creature squirmed in between her fingers as it attempted to free itself from her grip. Amanda tossed it aside and realized where there was one, there were more.

She reached frantically around her body to find that there were two more on her legs, one on her arm and countless numbers crawling up her shorts looking for a warm spot to feed.

Amanda jumped to her feet and moved out into the rain. She quickly pulled all that she found off her body and tossed them to the ground stomping on three of them in the process. She felt around her body and sighed in relief that there were no more on her that she knew of at least. A low rumble sounded behind her caused her eyes to widen fearfully as she knew what she had done. It was a trap and she had fallen into it.

Amanda turned around to see the rain waterfall off a large form towering over her. She noticed the large black claw on one foot as the creature stepped towards her. Amanda's attention quickly shot up to the massive head of the tyrannosaurus. The large stained teeth protruded on either side of the maw. Some were over a foot in length. The head turned so that one large, yellow eye could see her. The solid black iris fixated on her with a deadly intent.

A low growl escaped the throat of the tyrant lizard. Amanda gulped. She did not know what to do. It was less than twenty meters from her and she had no way of escape. The ground shook as the tyrannosaurus shifted its massive weight.

What was it waiting for? Did it enjoy watching its prey become panic stricken as they looked upon their killer or was it just deciding the best way to eat her?

A clap of thunder nearby made the tyrannosaurus shake first its body and then its head. The tyrannosaurus bellowed loudly into the air and then took a heavy step forward. The force of the step and movement towards her caused Amanda to trip over herself and land in the mud.

Now there was no chance of escape. The tyrannosaurus opened its massive maw and seemed to pull back slightly as to spring forward and engulf her in its gaping jaws. The thick black tongue ran gently over the teeth of the tyrant as it let out a low hiss. Amanda's nerves were at their extreme. Her body shook in fear of what she knew was about to happen, her death and there was nothing she could do to prevent it.

The world seemed to slow around her. Thoughts pulsated through her mind. She would never see Silver Claw again. He would never know what happened to her. Ellie would never know what happened. She never said goodbye to her father. She never said she loved him one more time. She never would be able to tell him why she had forsaken him for Silver Claw. She would never see anyone she loved ever again. It all would end now in her death. She only hoped it would be quick.

Suddenly, the thunder clapped overhead and another form clashed against the rex. It was the spinosaurus. They had both survived the fight and the spinosaurus was ready for more.

Amanda wanted to run as the two tyrants clashed in a brute show of teeth and claws but she could not. Her body was paralyzed. She could not move a muscle in her body. It was as if she were trapped, locked in chains and forced to watch the horror before her. Any attempt to move did nothing but a slight twitch of a limb or muscle.

The spinosaurus fell to the ground in front of her, so close in fact that she could have reached out and touched the sail of the beast. Her body seemed to unfreeze as the creature got to its feet and bellowed at the tyrannosaurus before charging, the massive tail only just cleared the distance over her head.

Amanda scrambled to her feet with energy anew and ran in the direction opposite of the confrontation of titans. She passed back into the denser parts of the jungle. Large ferns and cycads blocked her view of the surrounding area but at least they helped in blocking out the rain.

Amanda's breath suddenly became erratic and heavy. She felt as if she were choking on the very air she needed to survive. She was forced to her knees and into a slick pool of mud and debris.

Amanda's breathing slowly returned to normal after a moment. Amanda's body trembled out of cold and fright. Suddenly, she felt a warm liquid roll down her leg. Her eyes widened and she looked back wearily. There was nothing behind her.

Amanda groaned and slowly reached to her shorts. She found them warm with urine. She had pissed herself. Amanda collapsed to the ground in tears. Thoughts spiraled in her mind. Her heart ached with feat and despair. She was alone in a foreign jungle in a storm. An image flashed into her mind, her attacker, the man who tried to rape her.

"What did I do to deserve this," Amanda cried out over the crackling thunder overhead.

The rain picked up and Amanda found herself drenched even more than she thought possible. Slowly, she pushed herself up from the mud hole that she was in. The jungle echoed with the sounds of the falling rain.

Amanda staggered to her feet and moved forward. Tears rolled down her mud coated face. Amanda collapsed to her knees again. She did not have the strength to carry on. The cold had zapped all that was possible from her.

Amanda looked around and noticed a hole in the ground. She slowly dragged her body to it and peered in. It was large enough that she would not get stuck and it appeared empty, at least for now. Its positioning made it so that the rain rolled off of the leaves overhead and was dry inside.

Amanda looked around and slowly crawled in. The ground was hard inside, solid rock. She felt around in the darkness around her and to her relief only found the solid dirt walls that were veined by roots.

Amanda sighed and dragged her hand down her face to clear the mud. She took off the ragged remains of her torn shirt and twisted out the moisture. She refused to take off her shorts. She would wash them when she had the strength.

Outside, the low rumbled of thunder sounded and Amanda backed herself into a corner. She began to cry.

"Where are you Silver Claw?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw's eyes opened sluggishly. His chest burned and his breathing was heavy. A sharp pain pulsated through his right foot and caused him to roll onto his side in agony. He stretched his leg to see that his killing claw was no longer on his toe but replaced by a gaping hole. He cried out in pain.

"Silver Claw? Silver Claw!" a voice said. It drew his attention to Sophia as she moved to be next to him.

Silver Claw panted heavily as the pain started to abate, though not by much. A massive spasm in his toe cause Silver Claw arched and twisted in pure agony.

"Silver Claw," Sophia said franticly, seeing that he was in pain. "You took a fall and your claw hooked on a tree."

Silver Claw sobbed. He felt Sophia's snout rest on his neck.

Silver Claw twisted his head to look around. He was in a cave. It was not biggest, but it appeared to be roughly large enough to allow a velociraptor to stand and not hit their head. The entrance was about ten meters away from him. The area outside the cave was a blur behind the wall murky water that looked more like mud than rain water.

"Where are we," Silver Claw said softly.

"A cave, Zenith showed it to me."

"How'd I get here?" Silver Claw questioned.

"Zenith carried you on his back." Sophia replied softly. "He's over there if you wish to speak to him." Sophia gestured to a large boulder where Zenith lay with his head tucked under his forearm. "He's upset about you being injured."

"Why?"

"I don't know but he's been quiet for a while now," Sophia said. "I've kept an eye on him."

Silver Claw looked over to Zenith. "Zenith," Silver Claw said.

Slowly, Zenith pulled his head out from under his arm. He looked up. "Yes Silver Claw."

"Did you carry me here?" Silver Claw asked.

Zenith nodded uneasily.

Silver Claw righted his himself and looked down for a moment. He looked at Zenith, "Thank you… I guess."

"Are you ok?" Zenith asked.

"I'll be fine in a little bit."

"Yay," Zenith jumped to his feet and rushed over to Silver Claw and Sophia. "Here you go Silver Claw." Zenith place the missing claw of Silver Claw's on the cave floor in front of him. "I thought you may want to keep it."

Silver Claw looked at his claw and whimpered.

"Are you in pain," Sophia asked.

"A little but that's not it was about," Silver Claw cringed as a twitch in his toe caused him some pain. "I miss Amanda."

"I searched for her while you were out but she was no where around," Sophia said.

Silver Claw looked down and pulled the claw up to his side. He rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. He moaned quietly.

"Goodnight Silver Claw," Sophia said and moved away. She set down nearby and looked at the cave entrance.

Zenith slowly moved to the rock where he was and laid next to it. He rested his head on the rock and soon, his eyes grew heavy and closed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Click…_

_Zenith's eyelid twitched._

_Click…_

_Zenith's eye slowly opened to find that he was in his nest. It was a crude design made up of long flexible shrub branches and dried leaves. The cold thick walls of the surrounding of the room were riddled with cracks and entangled with vines. A dull light entered the room through an opening in the wall where during the previous day a piece had crumbled and fell._

_Zenith looked around curiously as he heard the clicking again. "Mother," Zenith asked worriedly. "Mother, are you here?"_

_Zenith slowly staggered to his feet. He was only about a foot and a half long with dark green hide. His eyes glistened with a blue glint even in the dull light lighting. He turned his head cautiously to either side or the room._

_His mother should have been in the nest with him but she was not even in the room. Zenith quickly hopped out of the nest and headed to the entrance. He passed several small bones that were the remains of the last kill his mother had made, a small gallimimus that had wander too close to their home._

"_Mother," Zenith called out but he received no response. He heard the clicking once again and moved even faster to see if it was his mother. Maybe she could not hear him._

_Zenith rounded a corner to see his mother. She was tall, about six feet tall and nearly fifteen feet long. Her body was a dark crimson peppered by hues of dull yellow, green and black. Her eyes were bright blue and glinted as her head turned to look at Zenith._

"_What are you doing out of the nest Zenith," She said softly. Her voice clearly showed that she was upset._

"_I didn't know where you were mother," Zenith said as he hobbled up to her._

"_Go back to your nest son, I'm going hunting." His mother replied._

"_But mom, you just made a kill the other day," Zenith argued. "You said you would play with me today."_

"_I have to go hunting Zenith," his mother replied more sternly._

"_What's wrong? You sound upset mother."_

"_Nothing's wrong son," Zenith's mother said and crouched by him. "Mommy has to go hunting. I'll be back later, ok? We can play when I get back."_

"_Ok," Zenith sighed and lowered his head._

_His mother licked him lovingly. "What do you do if something comes and I'm not home?"_

_Zenith looked up slowly. "Hide in my safe spot until you are home or I know that the threat is gone."_

"_Good boy," his mother said and slowly stood up. She looked down at him and slowly turned away. She disappeared down the corridor leading to the exit._

_Zenith whimpered and slowly turned around. As he entered the room containing his nest, he slowly looked up to a large box shaped object. On it, a strange set of symbols "Weapons Locker" was set in a bright red though he could not understand it._

_Zenith slowly slinked into his nest and rested his head on the edge, watching the door in anticipation of his mother's return. Several hours passed by as he stared blankly at the door. The light grew brighter in the room as it became mid afternoon and still no sign of his mother. Suddenly, a small click sounded from just beyond the entrance to the room._

_Zenith's excitement grew, his mother was home. "Mom, mom, I'm in here."_

_A low snarl sounded. It was not from his mother. An adult ornitholestes jumped into the doorway. Foam covered its mouth with strings of saliva falling to the floor. It lunged forward._

_Zenith squealed in fright and scurried out of his nest and into the only place he was safe, as his mother called it, a vent. A loud thud sounded behind him. He looked back to the ornitholestes head only a few inches from the tip of his tail, snapping its jaws madly._

_Zenith whimpered and moved further into the vents. He followed the slippery slopes upward until they would go no further. He slowly moved into the light breeze that swept through the vents until he found himself looking out of the building. He curled up whimpering. He missed his mother._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sophia shifted uneasily. A slight nudging to her side caused her to wake. Her eyes opened to see that Zenith was standing over her with his head low.

"What do you want," Sophia said almost in a snarl.

"I had a bad dream," Zenith replied. "Could I sleep with you?"

"You're an adult, get over it." Sophia said slightly louder than she did before.

"Please," Zenith said. "Normally I would go to my friends nest but I'm nowhere near her."

"What was you dream about?" Sophia asked hoping that if he talked about it, he would go away.

"It was about the day my mother went hunting and didn't come back." Zenith said and set himself down next to Sophia.

Sophia sighed, annoyed that I was she who had to listen to him. "What happened?"

Zenith explained everything that happened and when he was done, his head lowered. "I miss my mom."

Sophia craned her head and looked at Silver Claw, he was still asleep. "I know you do," Sophia sighed.

"So, could I sleep with you Sophia," Zenith said. "I didn't want to wake up Silver Claw."

"No," Sophia said. "Just never mind the dreams and sleep."

Zenith whimpered and slowly stood up. He slowly returned to the rock where he had lain down earlier. He rested his head but did not close his eyes. He whimpered softly.

Sophia stared at him. How could it be that she was actually feeling some sympathy for him? He was alone for so long and they had both lost their mother. Sophia knew that she would regret it later, "Zenith come here."

Zenith slowly looked up and moved to Sophia's side. He stopped a few feet from her. "Yes Sophia?"

"You… you can sleep with me tonight but don't bring it up ever again," Sophia said. "Once we find Amanda, we'll go to your home and then you can stay with your friend."

"Ok," Zenith squeaked with joy and hopped over Sophia and laid himself behind her. He pressed his body against hers.

Sophia turned her head and looked at him. She shook her head and then set it on the ground. She felt Zenith's neck curl over hers and his head came to a rest next to hers. Sophia noticed that his body was warm and it seemed to bring comfort to her.

It's strange, Sophia thought. He is a green, enemy to her pack but… he was different from those she knew about. He was kind instead of vicious. Sophia inhaled deeply and caught a strong scent, Zenith's scent. She felt a shiver run though her body and she closed her eyes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loki looked at the group of bushes before him. On the other side was his pack, his family, his home. On the glass ceiling above, the rain beat in a constant rhythm.

"Well," Sunayana said softly. "We're here."

Loki sniffed the air and looked to Anna who only gesture for him to move forward. Slowly, Loki stepped through the brush and into the nests. The scent of his friends, his family, his pack, rushed to greet him. He was home.

As he cleared the bushes, he saw the astonished faces of his pack. He quickly noticed his father. Jack was curled up by the edge of the stream where his nest had been built. His body was thinner that it should have been. Slowly, Loki walked over to the side of his father.

"Alpha," Loki said and bowed his head.

Jack's head slowly lifted up and turned to Loki. "Loki… I thought you were…" Jack shook his head. "What happened to you, where did you go?"

Loki sighed and looked around at the pack gathering around him. "It's a long story." Loki laid himself in front of his father. "Where should I begin?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Some stories I recommend reading if you like mine are: Jurassic Park: The Genesis Factor by Tyrammafar, Animal Magnetism by Blue Autumn Sky, Jurassic Park New Life by silver11k, and Researching a raptor, or raising a child? by Forte the Dragon.


	33. Reunited

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 33: Reunited

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author note: Sorry for the wait.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda's eyes opened sluggishly, still heavy with sleep. She groaned softly, her body was cold and stiff. Small beads of water dotted her skin.

The air was cool but humid. The soft sounds of rustling branches and leaves gave the surroundings a welcoming appeal. The fragrance of flowering plants and damp vegetation filled the air in an intertwining and alluring aroma.

Amanda's eyes finally opened to see the soft morning light flooding the entrance. Beyond the hole that led into her shelter lay a sea of greenery and above that, a baby blue sky specked by light pink clouds. Amanda sighed and sat up. Her arm grazed the bare skin of her chest and a chill ran down her spine.

Amanda slowly picked up the ragged remains of her shirt. It was still damp but it would have to do for now. She slowly placed it over her chest and pulled it to her back and tied the frayed ends together in a crude knot.

A low grunt nearby made Amanda freeze and listen. She strained her ears for the slightest sound for any indication that something was lurking nearby, ready to strike. Several more noises soon followed. Some kind of herd was growing near at a swift but steady pace. A loud yelping boggled Amanda's mind. She knew what they were but yet the name escaped her grasp. Her head tilted unconsciously to the left as she stared blankly out the entrance. Her eyes lit up with recognition. They were pachycephalosaurus. The dome headed creatures that could grow very large in size and were fiercely confrontational.

Amanda watched in a silent horror as one of the pachycephalosaurus passed by the entrance. It was a dark green in color with lighter green blotches covering its body like lichen on a rock. It stood about a meter and a half high with a bulky build and looked to be at least as long as Silver Claw.

Amanda sighed and relaxed as it passed out of sight, seemingly unaware of her presence. The sounds of the herd grew continuously louder until they seemed to be on top of her. Then she saw something.

Amanda lifted her head as high as she could without letting the creatures see her. Outside, where she had fallen in the mud the other day, the pachycephalosaurus were rolling about and calling loudly to one another. It quickly became impossible to tell what color they were and even how many there were as the mud enveloped them.

Amanda leaned against the dirt wall and sighed. It was going to be a while before she could leave safely. Her fingers explored the surface of the rock beneath her. She could feel the rough grainy surface, it almost was like sandpaper. Her hand stopped. A warm draft was coming from a small but noticeable fracture in the rock.

Amanda flinched at the noise of two of the pachycephalosaurus clashing head on with each other. She inched closer to the only source of warmth in her hiding place. Amanda froze, she could hear faint voices. Was it Silver Claw?

Amanda listened more intently than she had ever done before. They voices were growing closer but not from outside the entrance but under where Amanda was sitting. Amanda quickly stretched out on the floor and put her ear to the crack. The source of the voices was nearly under her. She immediate recognized the language, velociraptor and there were two of them, a male and a female. It was not Silver Claw.

There was no way they could get her or at least that she knew of. Amanda thought as she considered talking to them. "Hello," Amanda said quietly but reluctantly as they were about to pass by her.

She heard the footsteps stop. She could hear the heavy breaths of the raptors.

"Who's there?" A deep male voice asked, almost demanding.

"I'm up here," Amanda said and blew into the crack. She quickly felt the warm but foul breath of the raptor.

"Who are you," the male asked.

"Amanda."

"A female eh," a soft feminine voice said quickly. "Where's your pack?"

"I don't know," Amanda replied.

"How long have you been alone?" The female asked.

"Over a day," Amanda replied. It felt strange talking to the velociraptors but at least they could not harm her if they found out she was human. That was if they didn't know already.

"Oh you poor thing," the female said. "What species are you?"

The question shocked Amanda, "Pardon?"

"You know, are you a green, white or brown," the male asked.

"What are you?" Amanda asked quickly.

"Greens," the male said sternly. "Now what are you?"

"I thought the greens were all dead, the carnotaurus destroyed the pack," Amanda said.

"Poor thing's definitely a white," the female said. "Only they were naive enough to believe that. Tell me something, what are you doing so far away from home."

"Well I…" Amanda stuttered.

"Wait a minute, do I smell a human scent?" The male interrupted Amanda.

Amanda froze unsure of what to do.

"You know," the female said. "I wondered what I smelt under that male musk. Did you recently kill a human?"

"No," Amanda said nervously.

"Why do we smell one then?"

"Are there any nearby exits so I could speak to you face to face?" Amanda asked.

"Not for a few days walk, a cave-in collapsed the only entrance nearby." The female replied.

Amanda sighed.

"Well, answer our question."

"Well," Amanda said haughtily. "I'm not a white, nor green, or even a brown I'm… human."

A loud chirping made Amanda realize that they were laughing at her. She had to make them stop before they attracted the pachycephalosaurus. "I'm serious."

"Yeah, ok," the female said, "and I'm the alpha of our pack."

"Well apparently you are the alpha," Amanda said in English, "Because I am human."

A tomblike silence made Amanda nervous. What if they had lied about a nearby exit? Why hadn't she thought about that possibility before she opened her mouth?

"How could this be, a human cannot speak and smell mostly like one of us."

"I was taught how to speak your language by a mate," Amanda said.

"Who's your mate," The male asked, his intention was clearly to kill Silver Claw.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Wait a moment, I already know. It was that one who was in the cave on the other side of the island. He found a rock and carried it off with him." The male said. "I knew I recognized that scent, his name was Silver Claw, a blue."

"What…?"

"I should have killed him when I had the chance. He was blind to my presence when I was only a short distance away." The male said angrily. "Amanda, Silver Claw, and… Ellie, that's what it was. I thought you three were velociraptors so I didn't attack. I will not make that mistake again."

Amanda began to tremble at what could have happened. A low hiss made Amanda look down to where a long black claw was sticking out of the crack and a scratching sound was coming from beneath her.

Amanda quickly backed away. It was solid rock. They couldn't get through it, could they? A loud yelp caused Amanda's attention to turn out the entrance. The pachycephalosaurus were still out there but had not yet noticed her. She was trapped though.

"Why are you trying to get me?" Amanda asked. "We were fine until you found out I was human. What if I was a raptor, would it be different?"

A long silence followed and the claw slipped back into the darkness of the crack. Amanda sighed. "You don't have to attack me. I've done nothing to provoke you."

She heard on of the raptors running away from the area. Why'd one go and the other stay? Amanda thought. There probably wasn't another area nearby so why'd one leave. "Who stayed?"

"I did," the female answered.

"Why'd the other go?" Amanda asked.

The female was quiet for a moment. "He went to inform the others of this… situation."

"You're being kind to me, why is that?"

"I'm one of the few remaining first of our breed." The female said. "My name is Tessa after my human caretaker, unlike all the others I choose not to change my name."

"Tessa, I've heard that name before." Amanda said, pondering of where she might have heard it. Then it hit her, Tessa was the name of the women that Silver Claw's father loved.

"I'm one of the very, very few if not the only who are sympathetic to humans though around others I can't show it. After all, humans did raise us from eggs to adults," Tessa paused for a moment. "So you actually have a raptor as a mate?"

"Yes."

"Is he strong," Tessa asked.

"Yes of course he is and not just physically." Amanda smiled. "I miss him a lot."

"I'm sure you do," Tessa said. "I remember a time when I had a mate that cared for me as much as you and your mate probably do about each other." Her voice softened drastically with a hint of sadness, "We had a son together. It's too bad that they are probably dead by now."

"Oh, what was his name?"

"My mate or my child," Tessa questioned softly.

"Your child," Amanda said softly.

"Zenith, my sweet little child…"

"Zenith The Forgotten One," Amanda said in disbelief.

"Yes, how did you know that I referred to him as the forgotten one?"

"I met him," Amanda replied. "He's probably with Silver Claw and Sophia still."

"How did he survive alone for this long?" Her voice was full of confusion and wonderment.

"Why did you leave him?" Amanda asked. "He is still hoping you will come home."

"I… I had no choice." Tessa sighed. "I couldn't let him be killed by the others so I hid him in that building but they found me and forced me back underground."

"What?" Amanda questioned.

"I have to go, I've said too much, bye Amanda." Tessa said. "I hope you find your mate soon."

Amanda heard the clicking of her claws as she ran away from the area. Amanda moved to look out the entrance. The pachycephalosaurus were still there. She couldn't wait much longer. She had to get on the move before they attracted something unwanted.

Amanda noticed a light scratching noise behind her. She looked back to see some of the dirt fall free of the wall. Something was digging its way in. They had lied. The male was going to get her. Amanda backed warily to the entrance. A large chunk of the wall fell and a head pushed into the entrance. It was not the male velociraptor but in fact an ornitholestes.

Amanda shrieked as the small carnivore snapped at her. Amanda felt around for a weapon there were none. She had nothing to defend herself with. The ornitholestes pushed further into the shelter and snapped at Amanda's legs. Amanda quickly turned herself sideways in order to keep more space between her and the creature.

Suddenly, everything became quiet. The ornitholestes pulled out of the hole and could be heard running away. Amanda sighed but became uneasy when the light that had flooded into her shelter was cut off.

Amanda slowly looked out the entrance to see one of the pachycephalosaurus. It made what seemed to be a barking sound and rammed the dirt wall protecting her. Amanda shrieked and backed away.

The creature was blocking her only means of escape, Amanda began to panic. Suddenly, the pachycephalosaurus howled as another rammed its side. The two creatures turned to face each other and prepared for a charge.

This was her chance. Amanda quickly moved to the entrance. The two creatures made several calls and reared up. Now, Amanda thought as she crawled out of the hole and made a mad dash for the safety of the thickets as the pachycephalosaurus clashed heads.

Amanda pushed past a large cycad and began to slow her pace. The pachycephalosaurus had not pursued her. In the distance, a roar that she knew all to well thundered through the jungle. It was the tyrannosaurus.

The ground began to shake underfoot. Amanda's heart raced, she knew not where it was coming from and feared running to it. A branch snapped. Amanda spun around to see the heard of pachycephalosaurus running towards her!

Amanda turned around and began to run. The herd quickly engulfed her. She was in the middle of a herd of young pachycephalosaurus. None were taller than her but each could easily trample her.

Amanda desperately tried to maneuver her way out of the herd but every time she found an opening, it closed up on her just as she reached it. The herd emerged onto a clear stretch of the jungle. Amanda suddenly realized that it was the road. The herd began to disperse out as more room became available.

Amanda was getting too tired to run any further. The rex was gaining on the herd and she didn't know if it had seen her yet, the worst thing she could do was break away it if could see her. Behind them, the tyrannosaurus broke out of the trees and picked up speed.

As she rounded a corner in the road, she saw her solution, a vehicle. Its appearance was similar to a hummer but not quite as large. The windows were covered in plant matter but intact. She hoped it was not locked.

Amanda forced all the strength that she had left into a sprint to the vehicle. Her already sore joints screamed at her to stop and rest but she couldn't. She had to survive! She had to live to see another day!

Amanda quickly reached the side of the vehicle and pulled on the handle. It opened. Amanda threw herself in and slammed the door. She crawled to the back seat for cover and looked out one of the few openings in the vegetation.

The herd continued to pass by but not the tyrannosaurus. Suddenly, from the other side of the vehicle, the tyrannosaurus broke from the trees and grabbed one of the pachycephalosaurus in its massive maw.

The creature squealed in agony as the tyrannosaurus shook its head, snapping bone after bone in rapid succession, a time tested tradition of the hunter and the hunted. With a loud crack, the squealing stopped and the body went limp. The remaining herd of pachycephalosaurus continued on and disappeared into the jungle.

The tyrannosaurus tossed the body to the ground and placed its foot upon the head. With a triumphant roar, the tyrannosaurus ripped into the carcass. Bones cracked and flesh tore until the body of the pachycephalosaurus was nothing more than a few bones in a pool of blood.

Amanda felt as if she were going to be sick and quickly turned away. As she moved, the vehicle creaked. Amanda froze. The vehicle shook as the tyrannosaurus grew closer. Amanda prepared to make a run for it if the tyrannosaurus attacked. She probably wouldn't make it far but she had to try.

Amanda could only watch as a shadow fell over the windows and the plants rattled under the tyrant's breath. The tyrannosaurus began to circle. It nudged the vehicle curiously after a moment. It seemed to be confused by the vehicle. The rex stopped its circling at the front by the hood.

Amanda held her breath. Suddenly, the back end rose into the air .Through a small hole into the vegetation, Amanda could see that the tyrannosaurus had not placed a foot on the hood but sat on it. The metal on the roof and hood squealed as the tyrannosaurus shifted its hips back and forth on the vehicle.

The sound that the metal made as the scales dragged over it was horrific and Amanda was forced to cover her ears. Over a minute passed as Amanda continued to endure the high pitched squealing, unsure of what the tyrannosaurus was doing and unsure of what to do.

Everything became silent. Amanda slowly moved her hands from her ears and listened. She could hear the heavy breath of the tyrannosaurus. Suddenly, the vehicle dropped back to the ground and the tyrannosaurus began to move away.

Amanda sighed and slumped back in the seat. The tyrannosaurus was gone and she was safe for the moment but what had it been doing.

Curiosity got the better of her. Amanda slowly crawled into the front of the vehicle and looked for any holes where she could look out though the vegetation but found none. It bothered her that she couldn't see what the tyrannosaurus had done and it would keep bothering her until she found out.

She quietly slid into the passenger side seat and looked at the door. She was in luck. There was a handle she could crank to roll down the window. The handle move only slightly at first but soon the window began to move down. A foul smell drifted in through the window and Amanda covered her nose.

She cautiously leaned out the window, placing her hand on the side of the door. Amanda stopped. She slowly lifted her hand away from the door and in front of her face. She nearly puked.

Her hand was covered in a whitish paste like substance that reeked of urine and an unmistakable male musk. Like Silver Claw and Sophia had done to trees, the tyrannosaurus had marked the vehicle in its own way. Amanda quickly rolled the window up slightly and wiped it off on the outside before closing it the rest of the way.

Tremors ran down Amanda's back. She could still feel the substance on her hand even though there was little of it left. She wiped her hand on the underside of the seat but she still felt it. Amanda quickly moved into the back seat and looked behind it. There were several black containers in which darts and what appeared to be gas grenades lay in a Styrofoam lining, a white container held several medical supplies including a giant needle that she presumed were for the dinosaurs, and an empty white bag.

Amanda picked up the bag and placed it over her hand incase she made the mistake of touching her face. If she did that, she would most likely throw up. Amanda sighed and sank into the seat. For now, she would rest.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw awoke. His leg tingled in a dull pain that extended outward from his killing toe or at least where it had been. He left out a gentle sigh and looked to where Zenith had been to find him missing. Silver Claw's attention shot to Sophia. He grinned gleefully.

Zenith was sleeping with Sophia. His neck curled over Sophia's with his head side by side to hers. His body was pressed tightly against Sophia's side and his tail overlapped hers. If he had not known better, he would have presumed they were mates.

Silver Claw slowly turned his head to look at his claw lying on the floor of the cave. He let out a soft whimper out of his despair. This would affect his hunting and movement until the claw grew back. Until then, he would have to watch the hunt instead of participating and hope that he didn't encounter too many problems with an infection that could turn deadly.

Slowly, he staggered to his feet. He gently picked up his torn claw in his mouth and moved towards the back of the cave. His leg trembled as he walked because of the small but constant pain that he felt with each step.

The cave quickly grew darker until Silver Claw could hardly see. He tested the air for any scents but could only find the three he knew. Silver Claw continued forward, cautious and wary of his surroundings. He hated caves but he needed to know how safe they were here. Suddenly, he bumped something.

Silver Claw stopped. He sniffed the air. It was stale and tainted by mold. Silver Claw reached out with his forearm and felt the coldness of the stone before him. It was not the cave wall but a cave-in. He could hear a small trickle of water from the other side but that was it.

Silver Claw sighed and turned around. There was nothing in the cave. He would not find Amanda hiding any deeper. Silver Claw moved back into the light to see that Sophia was beginning to stir.

A gentle breeze swept into the cave and carried along with it the unmistakable scent of a herd of pachycephalosaurus. Their faint calls were growing closer. Silver Claw quickly moved to wake the sleeping pair.

"Sophia… Sophia, wake up." Silver Claw said and gently nudged her head.

Sophia moaned softly and opened her eyes. She only turned her head on the ground and looked up at Silver Claw.

"We have to leave. There is a herd of pachycephalosaurus coming this way." Silver Claw said. "We can't hide in the cave. It's blocked not too far back."

"But I'm comfortable," Sophia said tiredly and closed her eyes.

"Yeah I can see that," Silver Claw said. "Come on Sophia get up." Silver Claw nudged her more firmly.

"What is it Silver Claw?" Zenith asked. "Why are you trying to wake her?"

"She is awake," Silver Claw replied. Before he could answer, a loud barking sounded from a short distance outside the cave's entrance.

Zenith hopped to his feet and looked at the entrance. "How close are they?"

"I don't know but we have to leave else we'll be trapped in here." Silver Claw said and looked to Sophia who had curled up without Zenith's warmth.

"Wake up pretty girl," Zenith said and gently nudged Sophia's neck.

Sophia groaned and lifted her head. She slowly shook her body and stood up. Sophia yawned and shifted her jaws.

Silver Claw shook his head and quickly walked to the entrance of the cave with a slight limp to his step. Sophia and Zenith slowly followed. The area surrounding the entrance appeared clear for the moment but that could quickly change as the herd grew closer.

Silver Claw looked around quickly to find the best possible root that they could take to keep some distance between them and the pachycephalosaurus. The clearest and easiest path headed straight towards the herd.

If they could sneak by herd without being noticed, Silver Claw thought, he would have less strain put on his injury to keep ahead of them. Silver Claw looked at Sophia and Zenith, they were close to each other but Sophia seemed to be standing awkwardly. "This way," Silver Claw said.

Sophia quickly moved next to Silver Claw as they entered the jungle. "I will explain what you saw later and when we're alone," Sophia said and moved past Silver Claw.

"I…" Silver Claw stopped when he receive a scolding look from Sophia. Silver Claw became quiet and shifted the claw in his mouth. He didn't know why but he wanted to keep it with him after all it was apart of him even though it was no longer connected.

The herd of pachycephalosaurus grew steadily louder until they were almost in sight. If it were not for the cover of the thick low growing shrubs they would have been spotted long before they were close enough to do anything.

Silver Claw slowed his pace and ducked his head in hopes that he would not be seen. They soon began to move away from the herd and Silver Claw sighed, they had not been found. Silver Claw sniffed the air to be sure there were no more creatures lagging behind the main group.

A small gust carried along with it the scent of blood and… Amanda! Silver Claw's eyes widened. Amanda, he thought, she was near! The blood… was it hers? He had to know.

Silver Claw rushed forward. He ignored the pain he felt. He had to see Amanda. he had to know she was alive. Branches and leaves lashed his skin. He jumped over several trees that had fallen during the storm and continued unaltered in his state of mind.

He could barely hear Sophia and Zenith as they called to him to slow down. He mind was a flurry of thoughts, possibilities of what happened to Amanda. Silver Claw burst from the jungle and stopped. He was on a road. A large pool of blood lay near its center about twenty meters from him. A large vehicle was close to the blood with a white paste covering the front of it.

"Amanda," Silver Claw muttered. "Amanda, where are you!?"

Silver Claw looked back to see Sophia and Zenith emerge from the jungle and stop behind him. Sophia let out a heavy breath and stepped to be beside him. "Why did you run like that? You don't know if anything is around here."

"I smelled Amanda's scent," Silver Claw said.

"I don't smell anything Silver Claw, well nothing but the blood." Sophia replied and glanced at the surrounding area. "What is that on the front of that vehicle?"

"I don't know," Silver Claw said and cocked his head. He sniffed the air and slowly walked forward, towards the vehicle, slowly. He circled around the pool of blood and bits of jagged flesh then stopped a three meters away from the vehicle's front.

Sophia and Zenith stopped beside him. Sophia sniffed the air and then shook her head. She snorted. "What is that?"

"The… tyrann…osaurus rex," Zenith said slowly to pronounce the name.

"What?"

"He marks his home like this," Zenith said softly. "He was here recently."

"How recently," Sophia asked quickly.

"He just left… I think."

"It's close by?" Sophia said in alarm. "We have to leave and hope it doesn't catch our scent."

A low snap sounded from the vehicle. Sophia and Silver Claw jumped and turned to face it. Sophia hissed loudly and the noise stopped.

Silver Claw cocked his head and slowly moved towards one of the doors. He stopped a meter away. A small movement in the window caught his attention. He turned his head just in time to catch a blur of motion as the door swung open and he felt himself thrown to the ground. It was Amanda!

"Silver Claw!" Amanda shrieked with joy.

Silver Claw was speechless. His chest burned from the impact but it was distant in his mind. There were so many things he wanted to tell her but where to start?

Suddenly, a thunderous roar rang out from the jungle. The ground began to shake and the trees down the road shook. The tyrannosaurus burst into view at a full charge.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ellie stretched her arms into the air and yawned loudly. She turned off the alarm next to her. She had lied to her parents in order to get out of the house for a night. She had told them that she was staying at a friend's house when in fact she was in a bunkhouse near the hidden complex she now worked at.

With her parents smothering, she couldn't stand living in the same house as them. She knew they loved her but they were going overboard since she returned from Isla Sorna. She longed for the freedom that she had on the island. She missed it. She missed her friends there.

A suddenly flash of light blinded her temporally as the light above was turned on. She moaned and sat up slowly to see who was disturbing her.

"Rise and shine," Sandy said as she walked into the room.

Ellie moaned and slumped forward at the edge of her bed. "What time is it?"

"Six in the morning," Sandy said with a hint of amusement. "You should be out of bed already."

"I've never gotten out of bed this early," Ellie sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"Well get used to it," Sandy said and tossed a bag to Ellie. "Get dressed."

Ellie looked in the bag. There was some bundled camouflage clothing with a black pair of boots. "What's this for?"

"So far you've done nothing but get coffee, carry papers, and practice your marksmanship. Today we start the physical labor to make sure you're fit enough for your first mission." Sandy said and disappeared out the door before Ellie could as anything.

Ellie gulped. No one believed that she could speak raptor and it even seemed silly to her, she could hardly believe it herself since she got back. She only hoped that her first mission was not one of sabotage like she had overheard about the other day. One of the few people she ever saw was a man by the name of James which was ironic because from what had overheard it sounded like something out of a James Bond film.

Only two days after the explosion at the Ingen research center, a similar explosion happened at a Biosyn building. Biosyn, from what she had heard, was a corporation much like Ingen but with more of a reputation for criminal conducts. She once overheard that it was someone in Biosyn that had caused the downfall of Jurassic Park on Isla Nublar.

"Ellie hurry up," Sandy said from outside.

Ellie sighed and pulled the clothing out of the bag and quickly slipped into them. She put her hair in a ponytail since she had no brush nearby and stood up. She quickly walked out the door and stopped. Sandy was in front of her. She had her arms crossed and was tapping her foot impatiently.

"If we want to catch the helicopter before it leaves, you should hurry up."

"Helicopter," Ellie repeated, confused. Where would they be going?

"As you should know, no one really believes that you can speak raptor so we need to know you can to other things such as watching our backs." Sandy said. "We're going to a mountainous region nearby for the weekend."

"But…" Ellie started.

"Arrangements have already been made with your parents," Sandy sighed. "They think you're going to Ingen's European facilities for some tests that can't be done here."

Ellie was speechless.

"Well don't stand there like a deer in headlights," Sandy put her hand on Ellie's shoulder and pushed her towards a waiting vehicle. "I'll tell you about your first mission on the way there."

"Where is it," Ellie asked as she sat down in the back seat.

Sandy smirked and moved to the other side of the vehicle and sat down. "You've heard of Nublar, right?"

"I've only heard a little about it, why?"

Sandy's smirk grew larger. "Well…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	34. The Security Complex

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 34: The Security Complex

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The ground shook underfoot as the massive tyrant charged closer. Amanda's heart vibrated in her chest. She was too tired to run and her legs too sore to get on Silver Claw's back before the tyrannosaurus reached them.

The world slowed around her. Her mind raced with a flurry of thought. She breathed in deeply and exhaled. Her eyes lit up in wonderment. The gas canisters in the back of the vehicle! Of course, if she could get to them, the rex would be unconscious long enough that it would take at least an hour to catch up. She had to act fast.

In the blink of an eye, she was on her feet and headed to the open door only a few feet away. She used her last iota of strength to make it before the rex was over them. She hit the seat with a thud and reached into the back of the vehicle.

"Amanda!" Silver shouted as he staggered to his feet.

Amanda felt a tug in her heart to look to Silver Claw but if she did, it would cost her dearly. She pulled out the canister just as the rex hit the vehicle. Amanda felt herself thrown into the air. If it were not the force of the impact that had closed the door, she would have landed outside and been crushed.

The vehicle rolled several times. Windows shattered under the impact. Amanda was tossed like a rag doll in the inside of the vehicle. It stopped with a mighty crack. Amanda lay in a daze. The world spun around her head and she saw tiny points of light like the starry sky on a cloudless night.

She could hear the shrieks and roars of the raptors. They had no where to run to, the tyrannosaurus was too close. Amanda pulled herself up and looked to her left hand. It was a bloodied mess with chunks of glass sticking out in all directions it seemed but yet, she managed to hold on to the canister.

It's funny. She thought unconsciously, there was no pain. A shriek turned her attention to the window where she saw that the raptors were circling the rex, cautious not to attack incase it got a hold of them. The she realized that she was on the roof of the vehicle. It had landed upside down.

Amanda dragged herself out of the vehicle. She had to stop the rex, she had to. Then she saw it, Silver Claw was injured. He limped as he moved and he was missing a claw!

Amanda forced herself to crawl faster even though the shattered glass was cutting her knees to pieces. A force she could not explain fueled her. She made it out of the vehicle and felt fortunate that the rex had not noticed her as she used the vehicle for support to stand up.

The tyrannosaurus lunged at Silver Claw, only missing by a hairs length. Silver Claw limped to move out of the tyrannosaur's sight but it became obvious that Silver Claw was its priority.

"Hey!" Amanda screamed at the tyrannosaurus.

The rex stopped its pursuit of Silver Claw and looked at Amanda. It turned its head to see her clearly and let out a loud growl that vibrated the air.

Amanda's nerves trembled. If she failed it meant death. "Hey! You stupid dinosaur! Pick on something you can catch!"

The tyrannosaurus reared back and unleashed a thunderous roar that would intimidate the most powerful of foe. Its muscular form stood posed to attack.

Amanda stood her ground. Every ounce of her courage was dangling on a breaking thread as the moments passed. She could not throw the canister far so it would be close.

With one more roar, the tyrannosaurus charged at Amanda. Its mouth opened so that it seemed that it would engulf Amanda whole. This was her chance. She threw the canister forward and into the gaping maw. It hit near the back the mouth on the tongue.

The tyrannosaurus twisted its head and seemed too stumbled in its gait though it continued the charge at Amanda. It seemed to be surprised by the presence of something hitting its tongue and raised its head slightly.

Amanda took in a deep breath and jumped forward. She managed to pass just under the jaw of the tyrannosaurus. Only her heel glanced against the scaly hide of the tyrant. Amanda hit the ground hard and rolled over to see a massive foot pass over her head.

The tyrannosaurus tripped as it tried to turn its head to see Amanda again. It hit the ground with a crash that shook the earth and kicked wildly to stand back up before its prey could escape.

What happened, why didn't the canister go off? What if it was broken? It was just her luck that she would pick up the broken gas bomb. Why hadn't she thought of it before she risked her life to get it? Amanda shrieked as the tyrannosaurus was able to regain its balance and stand up.

The rex turned to Amanda and hissed. It took a menacing step forward and started to open its mouth. Suddenly, there was a small pop and white smoke bellowed out of the tyrannosaurs mouth in great waves.

The rex shook its head vigorously as it tried to clear its head of the gas. Its movement became sluggish and awkward. It staggered forward and its body began to collapse.

Amanda screamed and scrambled backward. The head of the tyrannosaurus hit the ground in front of her. Amanda sighed with relief but that quickly turned to horror. The tyrannosaurus was not yet unconscious.

A thick black tongue snaked its way out of the mouth and towards Amanda. Amanda tried to back away before it touched her but she was not fast enough. A chill ran up her spine as the slimy muscle started to wrap around her leg and she screamed even louder as it began to draw her back towards the awaiting jaws.

The grasp on her leg loosened all of a sudden and the tongue went limp. A small clack came from the jaws as the mouth closed. A glossy black substance poured out from the mouth, it was the creature's blood. The jaws had closed on the tongue and cut through part of it.

Amanda quickly stood to her feet. She started to laugh uncontrollably. She didn't know why she was so happy but she was. She had rendered the tyrannosaurus unconscious and lived to tell that tale.

A wave of dizziness swept over her with frightening speed and she stumbled forward. Amanda landed on the closest surface to her, the snout of the tyrannosaurus. The world faded to black and her body went limp.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loki gazed lazily at the sky while he basked in the sun. The smell of distant herbivores lay heavily in the air as a light breeze carried it past him. He was home. His pack was in full acceptance of his return to the pack and beta rank with his mate. His father was getting better by the day. However there was the issue of the two greens that were still in the territory.

Loki turned his head to look at his surroundings. He was on a flat part of the roof where the sun was the most intense but sheltered out of sight from the jungle. The grey rock that he had heard Amanda call concrete was warmest at midday, or so said the other members of his pack.

It was not quite midday but it was balmy. There was almost no trace of the storm that had passed by the night before except a few light clouds. Several within the pack had feared the building would be destroyed in the gale that struck with such force that it rattled walls and toppled trees.

"Loki," a soft voice said.

"Over here," Loki smiled. It was Anne. His body felt a rush of warmth as her footsteps grew near. The time they had spent apart during his banishment was unbearable though no one knew how much it hurt him to be away from her. Even when he would sneak close enough to see her up close during the time she spent hunting, he only wanted to be at her side.

"I've been looking for you Loki," Anne said softly as she emerged from behind a raised section of the roof.

"If I would have known that, I would have come to you. Why didn't you call me?" Loki said, showing his teeth in delight of her presence.

"We are not allowed to call out too loudly anymore," Anne said softly. She stretched out beside him and gave a loving lick on the snout.

"Oh," Loki said and gently rubbed his head against hers. "What do you need my mate?"

Anne took in a deep breath. "You know this place better than any other. Do you know a place where we could go to not be disturbed?"

Loki shifted to face her more directly. "Why, what is it?"

"I hope you don't think of this as too soon Loki," Anne lowered her head. "I will be ready soon, very soon and I hoped that you could… maybe… give me hatchlings of our own."

Loki was dumbstruck. Anne had never considered having children due to the risk that it posed to the eggs. She felt that she could never get over the loss of any un-hatched eggs. He supported any choice that she made but he wondered what had made her change her mind.

"Of course," Loki replied after a moment of thought.

"Thank you," Anne hummed and gently rubbed her head against his neck. "I think we should find somewhere to be alone now."

"Why is that?" Loki said almost teasingly.

"I can feel a slight change within me," Anne said softly. "I think I'm ready to bear our hatchlings."

Loki slowly stood up with Anne. He looked deep within her amber eyes. With an affectionate nibble under her chin, he said. "I know just the place my love. Follow me."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw looked upon the unconscious body of his mate. She lay on a pile of dried leaves that he had scraped together for her comfort. Besides that, he was useless to help with her wounds. The glass was too small for him to pull out and he didn't want to cause any more harm.

"She'll be alright Silver Claw," Sophia said.

"I hope so," Silver Claw laid his head on the ground.

"I've never though she could do something like that," Sophia added. "She saved us, if it weren't for Amanda you may have died."

"I know."

"How's your foot doing," Sophia said softly.

"It's bleeding a lot," Silver Claw sighed and lifted his head. He looked at his foot. The pain may have abated but the running he did caused it to bleed even more.

"Are you going to be ok," Sophia spoke softly and moved closer to him. She gently nuzzled his neck to comfort him.

"It's Amanda I'm worried about," Silver Claw said. "She injured and I can't do anything to help her."

Sophia sighed and looked around. Zenith was gone. "Zenith," Sophia questioned loud enough that if he was nearby, he would hear her.

Silver Claw looked around. "Where'd he go?

"I don't know," Sophia replied. She sniffed the air.

Silver Claw looked at Sophia. "I think you said you wanted to explain something after we left the cave."

"Oh, yeah, uh…" Sophia turned her attention back to Silver Claw. "What you saw didn't mean much. Zenith had had a nightmare and was upset. I let him stay with me because he was upset."

"Is that the only reason," Silver Claw said. "It's obvious he likes you but you have become very good at hiding your emotions."

Sophia snarled lightly as a warning. "He's a green and not one of us."

"But yet the same day as we met him, you were considering a human mate like me." Silver Claw gently brushed her snout to calm her. "You're looking for someone to care for and now you found someone but you don't believe it would ever work."

Sophia nipped Silver Claw on the neck. "I warned you."

Silver Claw cocked his head. She had not broken the skin. "You do like him don't you."

"No, he's a green and…" Sophia paused, "after what happened to Sapphire and Ruby, I vowed never to trust a green and to kill any that crossed my path."

"You know Sophia he is not much different from us." Silver Claw said defensively. "Amanda once explained to me what the humans who raised the elders did in their birth. She said that they had cloned, what ever that means, our kind from something that was died a long time ago. The humans had to change what we were and ended up with the greens and then the browns. Zenith would be like us if it were not for that."

"Why are you defending him," Sophia said. "Even if what Amanda said is true, he's still different from us."

"I'm defending him because he helped us," Silver Claw looked Sophia directly in the eyes. "Also, I don't want to you trouble my mate with your attempts at gaining my love. I love you but that is only as a friend now Sophia."

Sophia's upper lip twitched. "How dare you suggest that I would take you from another, that was against our packs rules and punishable by banishment."

"Our packs gone Sophia, we have to start again unless you would rather go to the pack of my mother's sister." Silver Claw shot back.

"Why did we not go there Silver Claw," Sophia tilted her head. "We would not be alone anymore and as you said, they accepted Amanda."

"Not all of them did," Silver Claw replied. "The first time I left to hunt, one took a piece of Amanda's clothing and stole from our nest."

"It took a piece of her clothing?"

"Yes, the female ripped it off her when it attacked her." Silver Claw said. "After that, I only let the few I knew would not attack her help in nest duties while I hunted or I stayed behind."

"Oh," Sophia lowered her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry."

Silver Claw sighed and gently lifted her head with his snout. "I know you will find someone Sophia and I am sorry if I was trying to force you to be mates with Zenith to keep you from trying with me."

Sophia turned her head away. "I know you mean well, I miss our home."

"I do to," Silver Claw replied. "I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if it were not for the spinosaurus."

"We would have a pack," Sophia looked back to Silver Claw. "We would have a home and our family and we would not be lonely."

"Though I would never have been with Amanda," Silver Claw added. "Some of the best days of my life so far have been sitting with her next to me while I taught her our language, quietly chuckling at her mistakes and helping her to improve. I love her dearly and no matter what could have happened if it weren't for the spinosaurus, I wouldn't want to change our meeting."

"I wish I knew what you felt for her. I can't understand what if must be like to love someone as much as you do." Sophia gently rested her head against his neck.

Silver Claw placed his head atop hers. "You will someday, and it will be special."

A light moan came from Amanda's direction. Silver Claw immediately turned his head to see her reaching for her face. He quickly moved to be by her side and blocked her hand before she could reach her face.

"There is a lot of glass in your hand Amanda," Silver Claw said quickly. "It would be best if you didn't move much.

Amanda's eyes opened slowly. Her blue eyes were distorted by tears of both pain and sorrow. "Silver Claw," she said softly, almost crying.

"I'm here Amanda," he licked her cheek tenderly. "I'm here my love."

"Did it work, is the tyrannosaurus gone?"

Silver Claw smiled, "you did it. You saved us. We're safe."

"That's good," Amanda said weakly, her voice waned and she closed her eyes as she slipped unconscious again.

Silver Claw whimpered. "Rest my love." His snout gently rubbed against the top of her head. He found a large lump near the back of her skull. He felt even worse. What she must have gone through when the vehicle was rolling would trouble her for a long time.

"Is she…" Sophia hesitated to continue.

"She unconscious at the moment," Silver Claw said and looked to his right to see Sophia. "She's gone through a lot," Silver Claw turned his gaze to the ground. "I don't know how injured she is but there is a large bump on the back of her head."

"I'll go find us some food," Sophia said. "Maybe I'll find Zenith while I'm out there. Will you be alright?"

"Yes, go." Silver Claw replied. He needed to be alone anyway, alone with his thoughts.

Sophia bowed her head and slowly turned away. She moved to the opposite side of the glade and disappeared into the brush. Silver Claw shifted his body so that he was lying side by side with Amanda. He set his head next to hers. He gave her a devoted lick on the cheek. No matter what, he would not leave her. His eyes slowly closed and he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Silver Claw's eyes opened sluggishly. He felt weird, his stomach ached and head throbbed. His vision was blurry but it slowly came into focus. He was on the top of a hill surrounded by a sea of golden grasses. A gently breeze carried along with it unfamiliar scents._

_He yawned loudly and stretched his back before standing. Silver Claw went to take a step but fell to the ground. He groaned and stood up again, once more he felt to the ground. His legs were not weak, why was he falling. He placed his right forearm ahead of him to help get up. What he saw made him stop in a heartbeat._

_The hand was not his but that of a human. The tan skin was in place of the scales that would, no should have covered his body. His gazed followed the appendage up to his shoulder and down his body. His heart raced, what could have happened to him? His left hand reached for his face. The tender skin was rough to the touch. He had a thin cover of facial hair with not one sign that feathers had ever been on his head, what about the top of his head. His hand explored every inch as it slowly slid to his forehead and into the soft locks._

_He felt as if something in him had sunk lower in his chest. Sadness swept over him. He felt a tingling in his face and a droplet rolled down his cheek. How was it that this could happen? Where was his home? Where was Amanda?_

_He slowly sank to the ground. It felt cool to the touch. The warm breeze and beating sun brought warmth to his body though it could not ease his sorrow. For the first time his life, he began to cry. His misery would not abate and the tears only enhanced his feeling of being a human._

_Suddenly, he felt something touch his shoulder. His head turned to see what it was but the light of the sun made it difficult to tell. He realized who it was as a familiar scent drifted into his nose. It was Amanda._

_His sorrow turned to overwhelming joy. He quickly rolled over and pulled her in a hug. Her laugh was like the sweet melodies from when he was but a hatchling, enveloping and powerful but full of love. Silver Claw held her tight with his head press against hers. _

_Minutes passed. Silver Claw didn't care what he looked like as long as Amanda was with him but he refused to release her. She was alright. A thought drifted into his mind. The last thing he remembered was being on Isla Sorna with Amanda unconscious in front of him. This was only a dream._

_He felt terrible again. "Amanda," he said softly._

"_I hope you like this place," Amanda said with a heavenly tone. "I come here when I need to be alone but apparently I shouldn't have left you alone for so long."_

_Silver Claw released Amanda from his grip and pulled back enough to stare into her eyes. He could see his refection clearly. His face was of sturdy design with predominate cheek bones and brow ridge. His eyes were blue like Amanda's eyes but with a tint of blood red._

_Amanda smiled. "You missed me didn't you?"_

"_Yes," Silver Claw could only bring himself to say._

_Amanda kissed him lightly on the cheek and shifted to sit on the ground next to him. Silver Claw slowly sat up and scratched an itch on his chest. He felt something strange, he was wearing clothing. It had escaped his notice when he panicked about being in a human body._

"_So…" Amanda grinned. "What do you think about this spot? It's nice and secluded don't you think."_

"_Yeah," Silver Claw agreed. He inhaled deeply. Though he still felt confused about the situation, Amanda's presence made it more acceptable as a dream. "Shall we play a game?" Silver Claw asked with nothing else to say._

"_What kind of game did you have in mind," Amanda whispered. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head against his shoulder. She closed her eyes. _

_Silver Claw gulped. He felt something he had never felt before. A sleeping emotion woken from its slumber with the sensation of fire encompassed his entire body. A chill ran down his spine and he placed his hand on Amanda's face. It was perfection at its finest._

_Amanda slowly released her grip and Silver Claw brought his other hand to the other side of her. Their eyes locked in an unbreakable bond. He turned to kneel in front of her and felt the tender touch of Amanda's delicate hands upon his face._

_Silver Claw felt himself drawn closer by her beauty. Their bodies grew closer. Amanda's scent clouded Silver Claw's senses and only furthered his drive to be closer to her. As their lips grew close, Amanda's deep breath washed over his moistened lips, sending a tingling sensation throughout his body. His hairs stood on end. _

_To Silver Claw it was as if an eternity had passed in the mere moments of anticipation. Finally it came time and their lips finally met. The soft but firm form of Amanda's lips pressed against his in an explosion of passion that consumed both of them. Silver Claw drew Amanda closer, unwilling to break their bond._

_That single moment, although it may have only been a dream made Silver Claw know for sure why he chose Amanda to be his mate before anyone else. He loved her, a love that he was destined to have, one that he would never break. If she were to die, he would join her so they would never be apart. He chose to let her live when they first met because some how deep down, he knew, he knew that she was the one he would be with for the rest of his life, the one he could not live without._

_Silver Claw and Amanda finally broke apart with a gasp for air. Their eyes locked once more and both smiled in pure ecstasy. Silver Claw leaned forward to kiss his love once more but she pulled back with a grin on her face. She leaned back, enticing Silver Claw to follow. He did. Silver Claw soon found himself above her. Her back pressed against the ground with Silver Claw's arms on either side. She could move no longer away from him._

_Silver Claw saw the twinkle in her eyes as she reached up and pulled him closer. Their eyes closed as they once more embraced each others passion as their own._

Silver Claw's eyes opened. He was back on Isla Sorna. He sighed and looked to Amanda. She was also awake. Her eyes blinked several times before she fully was aware that he had woken up as well.

"I had the most wonderful dream," Amanda said weakly.

"As did I my love," Silver Claw replied in a dreamy tone for his love for her had never been stronger that it was now. He licked her cheek gently. "I think you should hear mine first my love, it was very… interesting."

Amanda smiled and tilted her head to look him more directly in the eyes. "What happened in it," she said happily.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sophia clawed at an old log. She had not found anything in the last half hour of searching though she did not want to venture far from the glade incase something was nearby, Silver Claw was not well enough to defend himself and she had to ensure his and Amanda's safety.

She felt confused about several things, mainly how she should treat Amanda. Silver Claw wanted to start his own pack in the area they were now in but that meant there needed to be an order; alpha, beta and omega. Silver Claw would obviously be the alpha male but that meant that Amanda would be the alpha female. Zenith would most likely take the omega position but that still meant that Amanda had authority over her and Zenith.

Sophia kicked the log with frustration. It cracked and felt into a pile of soft rubble. Several large insects scrambled into the leaf litter. She stared at the decaying wood in hopes that something larger and more filling would emerge. Then she saw it, a large shape winding its way under the leaf litter. Sophia quickly stepped on it and instantly felt a sharp pain on one of her toes.

Sophia snarled and looked down. It was a large lizard that she had stepped on and it had hold of her toe in its mouth. She immediately recognized the coloration as that of a mildly toxic lizard that they were taught to avoid a hatchlings. The bite could kill a hatchling but for an adult, it only left them with swelling and pain for several days.

Sophia hissed loudly. It was too late to stop the lizard from drawing blood. She pressed down harder on the creatures back until she heard a small crack. The long tail ceased all movement and Sophia pulled her foot away. She smiled demonically as the creature attempted to crawl away on only its front two legs but it didn't get far before Sophia pressed her foot on its head and sank her claw through its soft skull.

Sophia quickly ripped off the section of the body that contained the poison and tossed back the remains. She looked around. This place was so empty of life, she thought. There were almost no signs of herbivores or carnivores and that could mean starvation over time.

A nearby bush rattled slightly. Sophia snarled lightly and turned to face it. She crouched down. The rustling became louder. Something large was in side, perhaps prey. Sophia leapt forward, regardless of what lay hidden. She hit something her size and brought it to the ground. She nearly sank her teeth into it when she realized that it was Zenith. What had he been doing in there?

"Hi pretty girl," Zenith said in a joyous manner that was unaffected by the fact Sophia had just attacked him.

"Zenith," Sophia questioned, "Where have you been?"

"I overheard what you said to Silver Claw," Zenith said, "You wanted to talk to him alone about last night so I left for a while."

"You…heard me," Sophia spoke softly and slowly moved so that he could stand up. "Where did you go?"

"To my home," Zenith replied plainly.

"How close is it?" Sophia cocked her head.

"Just on the other side of that tree line there," Zenith pointed with his snout towards a cluster of trees that were grouped so close together that it seemed as if the forest continued on beyond it.

"Why didn't you tell us it was this close, we could have stayed there instead of out here?" Sophia was angered that with Silver Claw and Amanda injured he would not tell them of a place that would provide protection.

"I didn't want you to see my nest the way it was," Zenith turned his head in embarrassment. "It was a mess and I didn't want you to get a bad impression of me by that."

"Well, that's still not a reason to hold that from us."

"I know," Zenith stepped towards Sophia slightly. "I was wondering if…"

A roar sounded in the distance. The tyrannosaurus was awake and it was angry. Sophia and Zenith looked to each other. Sophia was the first to move. She raced towards the glade where Silver Claw and Amanda lay. Zenith followed behind her, matching her pace.

The emerged in to the glade to see that Silver Claw had already had Amanda on his back. The extra pressure on his legs caused his foot to bleed even more and would leave an unmistakable trail for the tyrannosaurus to follow.

"Where have you two been," Silver Claw demanded. His tone was a testament to the amount of pain it must be causing him to even stand.

"The building isn't far from her, only a short run." Sophia replied. "Can you make it?"

"Not running," Silver Claw answered, his body posture told that he was in immense pain. "I can only walk."

"Don't worry, it is close enough that you can walk," Zenith reassured. "Once were in the field, we'll be safe."

Zenith turned to lead. Sophia allowed Silver Claw ahead of her and then followed. Another roar from the tyrannosaurus affirmed that it had picked up the trail and was on its way.

Silver Claw's jaws clicked together with every step. He refused to allow Amanda to know that she was placing too much pressure on his injured foot with her added weight. However, it was obvious that the limping motion Silver Claw was forced to walk in cause Amanda just about the same pain as the glass in her arm.

The tree line was in sight. The heavy steps of the rex as it grew closer became louder. Zenith stopped to allow Silver Claw and Sophia past him. They slowly moved between the tightly woven trees and soon emerged in the field Zenith had spoken about.

The long grasses were almost enough to hide a raptor if they were to crouch only slightly otherwise their head would remain above the stalks. At the center of the field was a large building with shattered windows and several crumbling parts where it appeared a large creature had hit the wall. Two large doors lead into the building with an overhanging block with the name of the building, Ingen Security Compound. On the right side of the building was a tower like structure made of a sturdy metal beams. At the top, something resembling a pile of branches and small trees covered the flattened surface while large white blotches streaked the edges and supporting structure.

"Hurry, we don't have to travel far." Zenith said.

"We can't cross that distance before the rex gets here," Sophia said, "At least not walking."

"We don't have to cross it," Zenith said with a smug smile on his face. "Follow me."

Zenith quickly ran midway into the field and stopped. Sophia and Silver Claw made it there just as the tyrannosaurus shoved its way out of the jungle. It stopped at the edge of the field, almost unwilling to venture any further. It let out a roar and stepped forward only slightly.

Silver Claw and Sophia looked to each other and then to Zenith.

"See, he shouldn't bother us here." Zenith said. He looked to the sky. "Here come why."

A dark shadow fell over the small group and passed over the tyrannosaurus. The rex backed further into the jungle as if to avoid being in clear sight. The shadow passed overhead again. Silver Claw and Sophia looked up to see a large shape in front of the sun. It looked to be some kind of pterosaur but far too large to be one that they have seen.

An eerie call drifted across the field. It sounded like nothing Silver Claw, Sophia or Amanda had ever heard before. The shape grew larger as the creature started into a dive. With frightening speed, the creature passed overhead and with an elongated beak tore a large chunk of flesh from the neck of the tyrannosaurus before disappearing over the jungle.

The tyrannosaurus roared in agony and disappeared into the jungle, leaving behind a fresh trail of blood. The area became quiet briefly and then the heavy beat of huge wings filled the air. From above the jungle canopy, the creature reappeared in sight. It passed over the group once more and landed on the structure next to the building. The pile of branches was its nest.

Silver Claw and Sophia were dumbstruck at the immense size of the creature. The wingspan alone was the length of a tyrannosaurus. The massive beak could easily spear anything that angered it.

"See," Zenith said in complete calm. "This is another of my friends. Come on. Let's go to my home so Silver Claw won't be in pain anymore."

Silver Claw and Sophia looked to each other then slowly followed Zenith, wary of the large creature that now kept a solid gaze upon their movements.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: Please Review.


	35. Rough Start to a New Life

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 35: Rough Start to a New Life

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: What happened to all my reviewers? In chapters of late it seems that I have gotten fewer reviews from my readers and those who did review at the beginning have stopped. I hope that more people will review in further chapters and remember that you don't have to have an account to review. Also, updates may take longer due to the fact that I have recently acquired World of Warcraft and am trying to get my characters to level 70. Sorry for the inconvenience and I hope to update soon. I have up to chapter 50 planned out for this story and have also posted a new story based on the book Eragon. It is an Eragon X Saphira.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda's eyes opened sluggishly, the last thing she could remember was Silver Claw pushing her onto his back when they had heard the roar… everything else beyond that was lost to her or what she had witnessed during slight moments of consciousness. The lights around her made it hard to concentrate on any one thing. However, her vision slowly focused enough to see the gritty roof of a building. She groaned lightly and shifted her body. She was covered in something soft. She tilted her head to see a large blanket placed over, though it was easy to tell that it was the velociraptors who had covered her with it.

"Amanda," A voice said softly and weakly.

Amanda smiled and turned her head to the right to see Silver Claw standing with his head lowered and an expression of concern written on his face. He stepped towards her and gently placed his snout against her cheek.

"I love you to," Amanda kissed him tenderly on the snout.

"I didn't know if moving you made your condition worse," Silver Claw said quietly and lowered his head so that it rested on the bed beside her. "I was beginning to think you would never wake."

Amanda realized what he was talking about and she sat up abruptly. She looked at her arms in dismay. The skin was torn and cut with chunks of glass still sticking out of the wounds. A sharp pain in her legs made her pull the blanket up from her ankles only to wish she hadn't. The skin on her knees was red with blood while the rest of her leg was streaked with it and pieces of glass stuck out in clusters. She shifted with discomfort and realized that she had nothing but a shirt on, he shorts were missing. She pulled the blanket tightly against her skin and kicked the end over her feet only to hit one of the many bruises that marked her skin with their purplish-green hue. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, they were not just about the pain she felt but the overwhelming sadness about the damage that had been done to her in the brief time during the time with the tyrannosaurus and what Silver Claw must have felt while she was unconscious.

"You've been out for a long time," Silver Claw whimpered. "I thought you were going to…to…" He let out a low whimper.

"How long have I been out," Amanda asked weakly, she noticed the dim light coming through a window on the far wall. It was dusk or early morning, she could not tell for sure.

"Two days," Silver Claw said in a tone so low that Amanda almost couldn't hear him. "I haven't left you side the entire time, though we did have to move you a few times because of your bleeding, though it is not as bad for the last day. That was what worried me most."

Amanda noticed that he could barely lift his head and he was quite thin. "When was the last time you ate," Amanda asked, ignoring her own condition in the horror of Silver Claw's.

"I don't know," Silver Claw turned his head. "I have not slept, ate or drank since you went unconscious."

"Silver Claw," Amanda said with tears beginning their long descent down her cheeks. "You could die, why would you not take care of yourself?"

"If you were to die, so would I," Silver Claw said without a moment of hesitation, "I could not live my life without my mate, Amanda. I refused to suffer over your death; I would rather enter the long sleep by your side rather than live out my life, broken and alone."

"Aw, Silver Claw, that's so sweet," Amanda replied and coughed a few times. "I would rather have it that we died of old age rather than the alternative," Amanda shook her head, "anyways, I'm not going anywhere for a long time." Amanda smiled and gently touched her hand to his snout which caused him to smile.

Silver Claw opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted when the door opened. Sophia and Zenith entered the room, Zenith with a large case marked with a red cross locked in his maw.

"We found it," Sophia said.

Zenith set it on the on the edge of the bed and looked at Sophia. "You mean I found it," Zenith remarked. "You were standing next to it and didn't notice it at all."

"Hi Zenith, hi Sophia," Amanda said in a weak tone, her throat was dry and it was beginning to hurt when she talked.

"Oh, you're awake," Sophia said unaware that she had woken. "How are you?"

"Sore," Amanda replied and positioned her body so that she was lying in the bed again. She carefully tucked the blanket under her body.

"Well after what happened to you, I'm not surprised," Zenith said. "You were really brave."

Amanda just smiled and closed her eyes. All she wanted to do was go back to sleep.

Sophia picked up the box and placed it by Amanda's side. "We don't know how to use this."

Amanda turned her head and looked at the box, "You found a medical kit, how?"

"Silver Claw told us what to look for," Zenith replied. "He mentioned that you used it to help with yours and his injuries before the place far away from here."

"All I did was wrap the wound to keep it from getting any worse than it was," Amanda said and rubbed her throat. "Is there any chance I could get some food or at least some water?"

"There's a stream not to far away," Zenith replied, "but it's in the forest and the tyrannosaurus is in the area still I think. He always wanders around here hoping to play our game again."

"I went out hunting but there was nothing in the area. I couldn't even find those pachycephalosaurus," Sophia set herself down adjacent to Silver Claw. "I'll try again tomorrow though the forest around here is scarce of any prey. I don't know if we'll be able to stay much longer without starving every day."

Amanda looked to the med-kit and sighed. She sat up again, though with her back to the headboard, and pressed the buttons on both sides of the case with her hands. _Click_. The lid opened enough by itself that Amanda could see into it. Its contents were much like any other like it but there were also several packaged syringes and a few marked bottles of a clear liquid.

Amanda picked up one of the bottles and looked at it. The label was faded but she could make out what it was, morphine or at least something that started with morph…. Several thoughts popped into her head. A pain medication if that was what it was would be the perfect thing to have on Isla Sorna, but then she remembered that one of her mother's friends became addicted to it and struggled in daily life because of it.

"What is that?" Silver Claw cocked his head upon notice of the bottle.

"It's a drug for pain I think," Amanda said. "I don't know whether it's good or not or even if I should use it."

"What do you mean," Sophia asked before Silver Claw could.

"It's used to treat pain but it makes some one on it well…" Amanda paused momentarily. "A little delirious and they may act a little weird because of it."

Sophia cocked her head and looked to Silver Claw then back to Amanda, "It's nothing like that plant, right?"

Amanda shook her head.

"Then what's the problem," said Sophia.

"I know with this little of it, it probably won't happen but…" Amanda looked back to the bottle and could see the expiry date on the bottom, it was not for another year yet, though she did not know if it was possible for it to last that long, but would it even be good still after sitting in the tropical weather for so long.

"What won't happen," Silver Claw asked after Amanda remained silent.

"It probably could never happen with only this much but I don't want to become addicted to it like my mom's friend did," Amanda placed the bottle back in the case, "He eventually died from a drug overdose, though, I don't know which drug eventually killed him. He was using many at the time."

"What do you mean by drugs, addicted, and overdose?" Zenith questioned eagerly to find out more about the world. It confused him to hear about so many new things all at once without knowing what they were.

"I'll tell you later," Amanda said.

Zenith lowered his head.

Amanda flinched as she pulled the first of many shards from her right arm. As she finished with her arm, she knew that she had to clean it before she wrapped it but with what?

Silver Claw nuzzled Amanda's cheek, "What is it?"

"I need some water to wash these cuts so they don't get infected, hopefully, but I don't have any," said Amanda, "Could one of you go and get some please?"

"How, we can not carry it."

"Well, I'm sure there is a pail or something around here that you could use to carry it from the stream and back," Amanda said softy.

Sophia sighed, "Where is something to carry it?"

"I don't know," Amanda said politely. "Look for something hollow and without any holes in it, oh and try to make sure it's clean please."

Sophia let out a snort and quickly stood up. She left the room as quickly as she stood with Zenith close behind. The patter of their feet grew steadily quieter until only a whisper remained.

Amanda felt the tears roll down her cheeks as she began to pull the glass from her arm once more. She hoped that Sophia and Zenith would return quickly, she needed water to drink more than to cleanse her wounds at the moment. She turned her gaze once more to the bottle, perhaps she would use it just once…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A tall slender man made his way down the docks towards a small group of fishermen. He had a newly grown beard that was but a thin layer of light brown hair on his broad jaw line. His brown eyes darted nervously about under a heavy brow as he grew ever closer to a group at the dock's end. He began to sweat with nervousness.

He pulled his hand from the pockets of the tan shorts that he had put on to look like as casual as possible but it seemed to make him stick out more than anything. With his right hand he pulled out a small folded piece of paper, Docks at 19:00. He placed it back in his pocket and pulled out a picture of a young, brown haired girl.

It was time for desperate measures, he thought. The government would not help him and the company who owned the island hid behind their lawyers. He hated that island with a passion but he had to return for one reason, his daughter, Amanda.

How could she leave him like she did? She made a noise that sounded as if she was a feral animal and ran off with some stranger to return to the island. He spent the days after questioning anyone who would listen to him but no one would dare to venture near that island. Only the day after, the memorial of a man who ventured too close was held, though it was not for the man who had taken his daughter aboard his ship.

He tried to join the group of men headed to the island but they refused to let him, only days after did he learn that it was Ingen. He stopped. There were groups of fisherman chatting about but he knew not which of them he had to speak with or even a hint of what they looked like. All he knew was that he was supposed to meet at the docks; he found the paper stuck under the door his hotel room but he had not seen the one who had put it there.

"A bit too well dressed for a fisherman," a deep voice said, "Mr. Glendale."

Amanda's father turned around to see a dark eyed man with a large hat that shadowed his face. He had on a light blue shirt and light brown shorts. A rolled piece of paper stuck out from one of his side pockets. He was a middle aged man that seemed to have seen too many battles in his life for his expression was that of anger and hatred though it did not seem to be directed at any one person. All together, he appeared to be the sort of man that you would not want to run into in a dark ally.

Mr. Glendale gulped slightly, "Are you the one who asked me to meet here?"

"That I am," the man answered and then took no time in making meaningless chit chat and so continued, "It has reached my ears that you've been asking around the docks for someone to take you to Isla Sorna, why?"

"I…I want to find my daughter," he said a little hesitantly, "she is on that godforsaken island, Isla Sorna."

"Is that so…, it just so happens that I have set up a little venture of my own to that 'godforsaken' island and if I might inquire that you would like to join us, we could help rescue your daughter while doing our work and then return here, no questions asked."

"Really? When are you leaving?"

"Day after tomorrow," he replied, "Meet me back here at eight o'clock sharp, if you're late, you're left behind."

"Is there any chance we could leave sooner," Amanda's father asked quickly as the man turned to walk away.

"Not unless you have six thousand U.S. to pay us."

"I do, can we leave today?"

"We have equipment that has to be loaded up, so not until tomorrow, bring the money with you to this spot tomorrow morning at eight."

Mr. Glendale looked down as he watched the man walk away, "One more thing."

The man stopped with a grunt of annoyance, "What?"

"I didn't get you name."

"Dodgson, Lewis Dodgson," the man replied and disappeared before he could be asked anymore questions.

Mr. Glendale looked to the sky, it was getting dark. He had best head back to his hotel and get some rest. He had a deep feeling that it was going to be a hard few days ahead…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sophia grumbled as she rummaged through the numerous cabinets that lined what she had learned to be the kitchen. She pulled out several pans that crashed to the ground as she let go with out any care. Soon the shelf was empty and she had yet to find something.

"What's wrong Sophia?" Zenith asked. "Are you upset because you can't find it?"

Sophia kicked the door to another cabinet, "No, it's just…"

Zenith slowly approached Sophia and touched his snout to her neck but she immediately pulled away. Zenith lowered his head, something caught his eye. He slowly pushed past a pile of pans that had been in a spot, even since his birth, and found an object that seemed to match Amanda's description. He pulled it out. It was a large yellow bucket with a handle but without any holes that were of noticeable size. There was however a lid on it.

"I found something," Zenith declared, "Sophia I think I found it."

Sophia looked over, "I don't see where the water would go into. I don't think it would work."

"I'll check with Amanda," Zenith said, "I'll be right back."

Sophia turned her head to see Zenith disappear down a hall almost with a bounce in his step. She snorted. He almost never left her side since they came here, and he had to show her everything in the building that he knew about, even the rock collection that he had saved up over the years. Worse of all, she had found out the he never learned how to hunt and the he survived on scavenging off carcasses in the forest but more often fish which had fallen from the giant winged beast that sat on the structure outside.

She turned away from the cabinets and looked at the wall where a large board hung from a kind of wire. Pictures covered the board, humans mostly but there were a few of different species of dinosaurs, mostly herbivores. All the pictures had humans smiling and together like nothing was wrong with the world. Sophia snorted heavily, knocking off one of the pictures. She looked at it as it fell to the floor and landed face up. It depicted a human holding an infant velociraptor, most likely one of the elders from her pack. Both seemed to be happy, the infant had its head buried in the neck of the human holding it. The human was smiling.

Sophia gently picked up the photograph between her claws. A human and velociraptor could be happy together, she thought. She let out a whimper; she would never find a mate. It was hopeless for her even to try anymore. Silver Claw, her first and only love was taken, there was the possibility of the male in the other pack of her kind but that would be unlikely, there were no humans on the island and even then they might just leave her if given the chance. That's what every one else seemed to do. Her only option in the area was…Zenith. No! She blocked the thought from her mind, he was a green, an enemy, the only reason he was alive was because he was not a treat to them. Though if it were possible…

"Sophia," Zenith entered the room abruptly.

"What," she snapped at the disturbance to her thoughts. She closed her claws, folding the picture before Zenith could see it.

Zenith lowered his head.

"What is it," Sophia said more softly.

"Amanda says this is ok, the thing on the top is a lid so we can carry more water in it and put the lid on so it doesn't spill out." Zenith said with his usual excited nature.

"Alright then," Sophia said and headed towards where the main doors were.

Zenith followed eagerly behind with the pail in claw. His tail wagged back and forth like and excited dog. Every now and again, his claws would click against the ground in the rhythm of the songs his mother would sing to him or at least his version of it, before he went to bed.

Sophia looked back at him to see him smile at her. She shook her head and looked forward again. As they reached the main doors, she looked off the structure but the creature was gone so she pushed through the doors. She moved to the edge of the field and sniffed the air. The wind was blowing towards her and carried along with it no scents that she presumed a threat.

"Where is this stream you spoke of?"

"Follow me," Zenith said and bounced forward into a sprint.

Sophia quickly followed behind him and it was not long before they disappeared into the dense jungle that surrounded the entire complex.

Not far away from the building, a large creature with a long crocodilian snout and massive sail let out a low hiss. Its body was scarred and broken from the repeated confrontations with the rex where neither won but both walk away with injuries. Slowly it started towards the two unsuspecting raptors and it was hungry.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A lone female raptor wandered the void that was the volcanic tunnels that spread far and wide under the island. The tunnels led out in many points all over the island, but all linked to a central chamber deep underground. That was her destination, an unpleasant one.

The raptor sighed. Her thoughts dwelled on he son, how she missed him. "Zenith," she mumbled to herself. Ever since she had spoken to the human, she could not get it out of her mind that Zenith was alive. She wondered how he could have survived on his own for so long. What puzzled her more was the fact that a human was living on the island with a velociraptor that had taken her as its mate. What could have compelled him to do that?

In the years that her kind had lived underground, they had become adapt to the darkness and only ventured above ground to find food under cover of darkness. Every raptor knew where each exit was and the quickest path to that place. The very young had to learn quickly or they were killed and eaten for being weak.

Tessa looked at her scarred body from numerous fights because of her disregard of orders from the alpha male. They had not killed her because she was one of the elders but that did not mean they could not bring her close to death several times. Because of the others, she could no longer have children, not because of any injury like some of the other females but because she was an outcast within the pack which were numbered at a few dozen. No male would be near her unless directly ordered to be.

The ground began to warm underfoot as she grew closer to the central chamber. The roars, barks and angry hisses of the other raptors echoed down the winding caves, a fight was happening. After a while, a dim red glow entered the tunnel with the flickering forms of the raptors at its end and soon, the main chamber was in sight.

The entire structure was a hollow black dome of solid rock. The ground was almost unbearably hot and the air almost suffocating from the bubbling pools of black water that was toxic to drink. At the center was a large human structure that had deteriorated and whole sides had fallen over and into the black pools which surrounded it. The lights that had once lit the cavern broke long ago. The only source of light was an opening in the floor where a river of molten rock flowed from some unknown source.

A group of the raptors had gathered around a sickly raptor that had mistakenly ingested some toxic water and was now screaming in agony. They would not end its life without the permission of the alpha, and even then it would be a painful death as they tore it apart limb by limb or worse as dictated by the leader. The alpha's rule was an iron fist in which stupidity was not tolerated and those who broke that rule where allowed to suffer until it killed them or put to death slowly if they survived, even infants were not above his judgment. It was no wonder many killed their siblings to show they were strong.

Tessa turned her head and tried to block out the screams but she knew that it would haunt her for some time. The last time one of them had drank from the water, it had taken a full week for them to die, no one slept during that time and they all were forced to watch because of the alpha. He had warned them not to drink from it. It was as much a punishment to those that had followed the rule as it was to the raptor that had broken it. Even the hatchlings had to endure the ordeal. Any raptor that fell asleep was woken with a sharp kick to the head.

At least they would not eat the body like those who were ill of different illnesses, Tessa thought to herself as she perched on her corner of the chamber by a musty tunnel that connected to several others. The toxin stayed in the flesh and any who ingested it soon suffered its effects. The bodies were just pushed into the river of molten rock where they disappeared quickly and only a foul smell remained.

Tessa set herself down and looked out over the area. The alpha resided in the human building. He was a tyrant of a leader. His body was colored black from a reason only he knew but would not share with any other and those who asked were killed and eaten. His eyes were as black as the walls of the cavern and teeth stained a light pink from the blood he shed. Though most knew him only as Alpha, his real name was Thrascar, or as the humans had called him, 0112-543920-123445 which was imprinted on his side in bright red.

He had yet to father children amongst the pack but it was not known whether or not he could for he had tried but failed. He had one true mate but she died shortly after their consummation. Since then, he had tried with two more females but they suffered the same fate, an agonizingly slow death over several days in which they began trembling, then lost their sight, and finally bleeding from the inside then suffocation because of it.

His fury was unmatched after the loss of his third mate, his roar brought the pack to the ground for no one wanted to suffer his wrath when he went on a rampage (which happened often afterwards, mostly towards the males who had mated successfully. The resulting attack caused brutal injuries to those he unleashed his anger upon). Since the day of his taking the pack for his own, not one had challenged him because a single bite from him, no matter how small, was lethal within days. It was poisonous.

A raptor returning from the tunnels caught Tessa's attention. It was the male that had informed the pack of Silver Claw and Amanda. He had been sent back out to scout if some of the other tunnels had collapsed or not near the area of the encounter.

The male's pace slowed as he grew closer to the alpha's lair. He slopped outside and lowered himself to the ground in a panting fit. A few minutes passed before the Alpha appeared and looked down on him. Though it was impossible to tell from the distance she was at, Tessa knew exactly what had happened.

"Incompetence," shouted Thrascar as he kicked the male across the face leaving a massive bleeding wound that if only an inch lower would have blinded him. "Listen up!"

The raptors grew silent, even the one that had been screaming in agony fell silent. The raptors turned toward the leader and once they were all at attention he continued.

"I need three of you to go and put an end to this human and its mate."

Every male let out a loud roar to volunteer for the task for each wanted to taste human flesh. Fights broke out amongst the crowds but it was soon decided which three would go, two males and a female, the strongest of the entire pack.

"Go fast and swift," said Thrascar, "Bring me their heads. Kill all that oppose you. Should you fail do not return or I will personally be the one who ends your lives." With that, the three were off and disappeared into the tunnels. Thrascar soon looked down at the male, "As for you."

The wounded male looked up fearfully. He had been one of the strongest for his age and had never shown fear, except for now.

"Come with me," the Alpha demanded and disappeared into the enclosed space of his lair.

The young male looked back to the others in a plea for help but they looked away. He staggered to his feet and slowly slinked into the structure. A few moments passed then suddenly, a deathly scream came from within the building. The entire pack knew what had happened and quickly retreated back to there nest. They hated him, though they could not leave or be hunted down and killed. It they fought, they would surely die from his toxic bite.

Tessa looked at the others. They were quiet and still. She had to help he son or he would surely be killed. She jumped to her feet and rushed into the tunnel next to her nest. She had to stop them from completing their mission. She had to do it, the life of her son hung in the balance. It they found him, he was as good as dead.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	36. The Forgotten Tapes

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 36: The Forgotten Tapes

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: For those who would like to know, I plan to have this story as a whole at least one hundred chapters long. Then there is the prequel to it, though I may not have much time to work on it because of this story. Jurassic Park the Beginning explains what happened before Broken Lives to the original raptors of Site B. Thank you for the numerous reviews in the last chapter and I hope that you, the reader, will continue to review because I like to know where I could get improvement or at least ideas for future chapters and general comments.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda hummed lightly as she scrubbed at her hair vigorously to rid it of knots and dirt. In the time shortly after Sophia and Zenith had left, she had decided to explore a bit of the building with Silver Claw. It had not taken them long to find out that the building had running water and a fair amount of working electrical devices. Most important of all to Amanda, a working shower. It was stubborn at first with only a few droplets falling from the spout but after some time it slowly trickled out greenish-brown water and then finally, the water cleared and out came a full and constant torrent. It was warm to the touch. Though the water hurt her wounds a little, it was too refreshing to pass up.

Silver Claw stood outside the shower room. Even though he was her mate, she felt uncomfortable being without clothing in front of him. She did not know why. It was not like he was human and would get any excitement out of it but the whole idea of her being nude in front of another made her too self-conscious about her appearance, especially now with her injuries.

Amanda looked to the towel bar where she had hung the blanket that she had wrapped around her to go with Silver Claw down the halls. She had forgot to ask him why her shorts had gone missing but she suspected that it had something to do with the fact that she had pissed herself and that they most likely smelled terrible while she was laying in bed unconscious for all that time. She hoped that only Silver Claw knew of her tattoo.

Amanda reached for the bottle of shampoo and condition that she had found near the door on a small shelf. She shrieked. A large thick legged spider the size of her hand crawled out from a crevasse in the wall next to where she had placed the shampoo.

"Amanda, is everything alright?" Silver Claw said from outside the door.

"There's a spider in here," Amanda said and backed further away as it crawled towards the far wall. "It's a big one."

"Eat it," said Silver Claw. "You need to regain you strength."

"No," Amanda protested. "Could you kill it?"

Silver Claw sighed and entered the room. Amanda had wrapped herself in an orange towel that she had found to dry herself off with. However, she was standing as far away as she could from the creeping insect as she could possibly be. Silver Claw slowly crossed the floor and in one quick swoop, snapped up the insect and brought an end to its life. A greenish liquid leeched out of his mouth as he chewed and it dribbled down his jaw before dripping to the cold stone floor beneath him.

A chill ran down Amanda's spin as she watched. It creped her out more than anything else she had seen him do. "I don't know how you can eat that," Amanda said out of sheer disgust.

"Its food," said Silver Claw plainly.

"Still…" Amanda shuddered as the spider's body crackled upon Silver Claw closing his maw again. She had to look away.

Silver Claw tossed back what was left and looked at the steady stream of water from the shower. "So this is what a shower does?" He stepped forward and under the water. After a moment, he closed his eyes and began to purr. It sounded much like a cat but more deep and with a hint of a low, delighted growl.

Amanda stood quietly as the water poured off Silver Claw's sides and he seemed to forget she was the one who was using it in the first place. She began to tap her foot impatiently but then a devilish grin formed on her face and she moved to several sinks on the other side of the room. She twisted the knob to on.

Silver Claw let out a yelp in surprise as the icy sting of the water drenched his body. He hopped out of the water and quickly moved to the door. Amanda began to chuckle quietly to herself.

"Why did it do that?"

"I turned this tap on," Amanda laughed. "It made the water run cold." She turned it off and smiled.

"Why would you do that," Silver Claw walked over to her until his snout was less than an inch away from her face.

"Because I love you," Amanda said and gave him a light kiss on the snout. "Though you don't interrupt a lady when she is showering and it seemed you were not about to move any time soon so I made you."

Silver Claw let out a low hiss of amusement. He grabbed a hold of the towel covering Amanda and showed his teeth. Amanda quickly grabbed hold of the towel near to where he had hold.

"What are you doing," Amanda said in a serious tone, no longer laughing or cheerful.

Silver Claw let go and stepped back. "I thought that you wanted to play." Silver Claw lowered his head.

Amanda sighed. "I don't like being around people without my cloths. How about this, after I'm finished in here we do something, ok."

Silver Claw replied only with a head nod and quietly left the room.

Amanda let out a sigh as the clicks of his claws slowly quieted as he stopped outside the door and she presumed that he was now resting on the floor outside. Amanda sighed. She felt bad for him. He seemed to enjoy it so much but she made him leave. Amanda glanced around the room and noticed a large yellow hamper filled with clothing.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tessa stopped in one of the many volcanic tunnels under Isla Sorna. She looked around in the perpetual darkness that surrounded her and listened for the slightest noise that told she had been followed. She heard none.

Of all the caves, she knew of only one the others had no knowledge of. A cramped crack in the wall that the others had presumed to be just that, a crack, but it was more than that, much more. It led into a narrow passageway that barely any of the others could have a hope of fitting into but she could fit.

The tunnel was short but if one was to get stuck, they could not escape. If they were to struggle, it was more than likely that the roof would collapse in; it was of a very soft material. The small passage connected to a larger tunnel that reeked of a foul smell, a potent concoction of dung and other such wastes that had washed in from the surface. It was a haven for the fat rats that could not survive long on the surface where they would be picked off quickly by predators of every sort. The structure was composed of a rough stone that seemed very similar to the material that the humans used to make up their building. Though through the muck that covered it, it would be nearly impossible to tell.

Tessa pushed her way into the tunnel. The first time she had used it, it was to escape the first time when she found out that she was pregnant with Zenith, the only one that survived when she laid a clutch of twelve. She could not bear to have him live in the torture of the nesting grounds deep underground. She thought it fortunate that she lost much of her weight since last passing this way. The fit was not as tight and much easier on her scales.

She struggled little in the boundary where the passage met the tunnel and the wall had thinned since last time she had been through. She stepped into the thick, dark waters of the tunnel. Around her, squealing in fright of an intruder, rats scurried away into smaller tunnels that were only large enough for them to enter. She knew better now than to catch and eat one so sniffed the air instead. Tessa shook her head in distaste. She hated that it had to come to this but it was the only way.

Tessa paused. She could not remember which of the ways she had taken the last time to reach the building. The tunnel led to each of the buildings on the island but it was a terrible route, especially after a hard rain. Then it came to her, the current. That is what she had followed.

She felt the current running past her claws and turned into it. It would take her a few "hours" (as the humans had called the passage of time when she cared to listen in) to reach the building where as the others would take a day or more depending on the route they chose to take. She stepped onto a broad path along the far side and began to run. I will see my son soon, she thought as she ducked to avoid getting entangled in the cables that hung down in numerous parts of the tunnels.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda slipped into a light shirt and shorts that appeared to be as clean as they would be after the time they had spent in the basket. She did not like that fact that they looked like a tan when they should have been a white but they would do. At least there just happened to be some women's clothing in the pile that was about her size.

She looked around a saw several brushes and a large bucket. She smiled and grabbed the bucket and a brush. Amanda quietly moved to the shower and filled up the bucket before moving next to the wall that separated the door and the showers so that one could not see in unless they stepped around the wall.

"Amanda," Silver Claw questioned. She had stopped humming and became quiet for some time.

Amanda grinned. He would get a surprise when he came in.

"Amanda, are you there?" Silver Claw asked again and stood to his feet. He was worried. "Amanda, I'm coming in."

Amanda tipped back the bucket and the moment she saw his head, she tossed the bucket full of water on him. Silver Claw immediately jumped and turned to face his attacker with his claws ready and his teeth showing.

Amanda only bust into laughter and walked up to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his.

"Settle down," Amanda said softly.

"Why didn't you answer me," Silver Claw said and relaxed. "I thought you might have fallen unconscious again."

"Well, I thought you could use some time in here. You seemed to like it and I was wrong to make you leave like I did." Amanda released him from her grip and stepped back. "I realized I was being a little rude."

Silver Claw showed his teeth. "You were a little. I don't think Sophia was too happy either."

"Why?"

"When you asked her to find a pail, it sounded more like an order than a request and well… she does not like that." Silver Claw looked at the door. "She won't be too happy when she comes back to find you have water here."

Amanda hooked her arm around Silver Claw's neck and pulled him to the shower. She started to fill the bucket and mixed in some soap. Silver Claw began to purr again.

"When was the last time you cleaned your scales?"

"A while now, I can't remember the last time I did, though it was a long time ago."

"Well," Amanda started and hoisted the bucket over his back, pouring a mixture of soapy water over him. "I think I'll help you this time."

"Why are there bubbles in the water, and why does it smell weird?"

"Its soap," Amanda smiled. "It helps clean things and makes you smell nice. I also have a brush which should work better than those teeth of yours."

Amanda began to scrub the base of his neck. She hummed lightly. For some reason, it reminded her of when she would wash her pet dog, a golden retriever. She suddenly felt the brush slip from her grasp. She went to catch it but it did not fall. Instead, Silver Claw had pulled it out of her hands and was holding it between his jaws. When Amanda reached for it, he jerked his head out of her reach.

"Come on," Amanda laughed.

Silver Claw jumped back and raised his body as high as he could. Amanda jumped hopelessly for the brush which was well out of her reach. She could only reach the middle of his jaw but he had shifted it to the very top.

Amanda frowned and crossed her arms. He had grown quite a lot since their first meeting. His length was about a foot longer and when he stretched upwards, she only was a high as the base of his arms. The scales around his eyes were much deeper red, almost to the point of a crimson color while the scales on his body were a dark navy blue. Scars were the most predominate around his neck and his back legs and back. His killing claws or at least his remaining one was six inches long at least and very sharp.

Amanda jumped again in a fruitless effort to retrieve the brush. A thought popped into her mind and she grinned. She knew what to do. Amanda slowly began to circle him though his head tilted to keep and eye on her as she moved behind him. She did not know if he could hold her in his weakened state but… Amanda leapt onto his back.

Silver Claw stumbled clumsily with surprise of the added weight. After a moment, he managed to keep his balance but Amanda had snatched the brush out of his mouth.

Amanda gave a sly smile, "Got it."

Silver Claw gently rubbed his head against hers in acceptance of his defeat. He showed his teeth.

"I don't think I've really seen you do that much," said Amanda.

Silver Claw cocked his head.

"You've never showed your teeth when you were happy." Amanda continued, "Is that something you do when you're really happy?"

"I guess so," Silver Claw replied. He himself did not notice it but apparently he had not shown his teeth out of joy in some time. He raised his feathers.

Amanda giggled and rubbed her head against his neck. She hugged him tightly before slipping off and getting the bucket.

Silver Claw moved back under the shower and purred softly. He enjoyed the warmth of the water and he was sure that Sophia and Zenith would upon their return. He felt the splash of water as Amanda poured another bucket over him and then began to scrub his scales clean.

Silver Claw tilted his head up as Amanda scrubbed his neck and then his jaw. Then he heard something, a low grumbling. He was hungry.

Amanda chuckled, "We'll find some food after this, okay?"

Silver Claw nodded and opened his mouth and let it fill with water. He looked at Amanda with a sly grin. He forced the water out in a straight line that hit Amanda square in the face. She had taught him how to do it whilst they were swimming in the salty body of water that led to the ocean the day Loki had left.

Amanda's eyes widened with surprise and she poured some of the water from the bucket into her mouth and spit it at Silver Claw. It got him in the right nostril and he shook his head vigorously trying to clear it out. He seemed to cough a few times then he suddenly sneezed loudly. It made Amanda jump in surprise because it was so loud.

Amanda laughed even louder. She was laughing so hard that she had to sit on the floor. Silver Claw sneezed again, and again, and then again. Amanda felt as if she would die laughing.

Amanda laid back on the floor in a laughing fit. She suddenly felt a large amount of weight on top of her. Amanda stopped laughing and looked to see Silver Claw's snout in front of her face.

She felt great warmth boil up from deep inside her, she was beyond happy to be with him. Her every pain seemed to disappear as the feelings she had for her mate encompassed her body. She looked into his eyes and they looked back. Amanda touched her nose to his snout and kissed him lovingly. Silver Claw hummed lightly over the sound of water raining over their bodies. It was a soft, soothing tone that made Amanda drift towards sleep. Her eyes grew heavy and soon she was starting to nod off in the quiet serenity.

"Let's go find something to eat before you fall asleep," Silver Claw whispered in her ear.

Amanda moaned in protest but she could feel herself being lifted off the ground by the shirt. Amanda hung her arm off Silver Claw's back and walked along side him towards the hall. A cold breeze swept through the room and Amanda shivered.

"Maybe I should get some cloths and dry off first," said Amanda before she pressed herself against Silver Claw for more warmth.

"I think we can find something down the hall," said Silver Claw before he nudged her out the door.

Amanda stumbled slightly and then noticed a small pile of cloths on the floor next to the doorway. Amanda looked at them in a moment of uncertainly. She shrugged and picked them up.

"I hope they fit you," Silver Claw said. "When you said you might be a while and for me to wait outside, I decided to wander around. I stumbled upon a room where the clothing was and I looked for things about your size."

"Thanks Silver Claw," Amanda said and hugged him. "I'll try these on right now!"

Silver Claw showed his teeth as Amanda rushed back into the shower room. He heard the water turn off and then her humming as he presumed her to be drying off. Several minutes passed before she remerged.

Amanda twirled in a circle before Silver Claw. "How do I look?"

She had on a light green, buttoned shirt with the Ingen logo on the left breast. The shorts that Silver Claw had found were a dark grey in color with deep reaching pockets on either side with a string to tighten or loosen the waist.

"Only more gorgeous than you did before."

Amanda smiled. She looked to the wall to see if there where signs, which there were. One of the signs read: "Living Quarters" with the arrow pointed to the left while on pointing to the right read: "Storage."

Amanda pondered for a moment but turned towards the hall where the storage would be. Silver Claw trotted beside her, purring softly.

"I think we would have a better chance of finding food down here in the storage room," said Amanda. She placed a hand on Silver Claw's back. It was night and most of the lights in the halls seemed to be broken so she needed some guidance.

"I hope they have more of those things you shared with me when we first met."

"I hope so too," Amanda agreed. "I like meat as much as you but something sweet is good to have once in a while."

They continued down the twisting halls for a few minutes. The halls became darker and harder to see in but yet Silver Claw could still navigate his way through them. The ground under foot was cool on Amanda's bare feet and she worried about stepping on something sharp in the darkness. Amanda and Silver Claw turned another corner and stopped. Before them was the door to the storage room. Amanda reached out and turned the knob.

The door opened with a heavy creak that sent chills down Amanda's spine. It had been a long time since the door had been opened and the doors were rusted heavily. Silver Claw sniffed the room before entering to ensure there was no danger. Amanda followed him in.

"I hope the lights work," said Amanda as she groped the wall for a switch. She found one.

The room lit up in a brilliant flash of light. As Amanda's eyes adjusted to the light, she could the rows of shelves, each stacked full of unmarked boxes and construction supplies. To the far right was a small television with rabbit ears on top and a VCR on the right side of it. In the center of the room, a large concrete circle with a metal dome covered by a large box. To the left, several lockers, most of which were locked by a heavy combination lock.

"I really hope there is food in one of those boxes," Amanda said after a moment of pondering. "I think this might just be the workers storage though."

Silver Claw sniffed the air, "What do you think would be in there?" With his snout, he gesture to the center.

"I don't know," Amanda said and walked to the box and pushed it off the dome. It hit the ground with a loud crash. Amanda immediately recognized the sound. It was a box of tapes.

"I mean that dome thing."

"Oh," Amanda said and moved behind the hinges. She pulled back but let go as a foul smell emanated from it. "Let's not do that again." She waved her hand in front of her nose. "It's the sewer for this place."

Silver Claw snorted and then shook his head. "How could a place smell that bad?"

"It's were the sinks, showers, and toilets go to from in the building," said Amanda as she opened the box. She was right, it was full of tapes. Each one had a faded label. Amanda picked one up. She could hardly see what it read but she could distinguish it. It read: "T and R Observation #156."

"What's that?"

"I don't know," replied Amanda. She did not know what it meant be T and R, though she wanted to find out.

Amanda walked over to the TV and blew off the dust from inside and outside the VCR. She set the tape down and looked at the TV. It was an old dial television with small knob that she assumed was the power. She pulled it. The screen flickered but remained dark for a moment. Slowly, it came on. The only reception was static with a dark bar along the top sixth of the screen. It was very old indeed

Amanda popped in the tape. It took a minute but the darkness of the tape cleared to video overlooking a large electric fence.

"I wonder where that is?" Silver Claw asked.

"You can see it?" Amanda questioned.

"Yeah," Silver Claw replied, "Why?"

"Oh, it's just that scientist found that certain creatures could not see the television screen because… I can't remember what else it said."

"I can," Silver Claw said and cocked his head. "I wonder who that is."

Amanda looked back to the screen to see a young women going to the fence. The women sat down in the grass by the fence and looked into the enclosure.

"Where are you," She said softly.

A low snarl came from within the fence but a loud bark silenced it. Amanda could not tell what kind of creature it was over the hum of the fence. A moment passed before a large male raptor appeared by the fence.

"There you are," The women said in a soft and delighted tone. She pulled something from her pocket. "I know I'm not supposed to give these to you but I thought I would sneak you one since you like them so much." The women reached through the electric fence and gave the raptor a bar of some kind. It ate it out of her hand.

"Do you recognize that raptor?" Amanda asked Silver Claw.

"I can't tell who it is because of that fence," Silver Claw admitted. "But did she just feed him by hand?"

"Yeah, I know. It's strange."

"So have you been a good boy, Seth?" The women asked to which she had a low purr in response.

"Dad," Silver Claw's jaw trembled slightly.

"That's your dad," Amanda stated. Silver Claw only nodded. "So that women must be Tessa then," Amanda added.

A flash of memory flooded Amanda's head. She remembered what had happened to her when she was hiding from the pachycephalosaurus. "We're not safe here."

"What?" Silver Claw said, turning his attention away from the television.

"We have to leave and get far away from here," Amanda panicked. "The greens are alive and they know we're here."

"What," Silver Claw snarled.

"I spoke with Zenith's mother before I found you. There was another who went to tell the others. They might take a while because the caves in this area were blocked but they're coming here."

"We have to find…" Silver Claw cringed. A sharp pain ran through his gut.

"Silver Claw," Amanda wrapped her arms around him to help him stand.

A sudden crash rattled the building. A moment of silence followed. Another crash sounded and then a long deep roar. It was the spinosaur. It was attacking the other side of the building. Several yelps and calls from Sophia and Zenith echoed down the halls. They were calling for help.

Amanda looked around the room. A small twinkle caught her eye. She released Silver Claw and ran to a shelf. A large set of bolt cutters lay on the shelf. She looked to the lockers. There must have been a reason for the locks.

A loud shriek echoed down the hall. It was Sophia and she was in an immense pain. The spinosaurus roared again, it was in pain itself.

Amanda raced to the locker and barely managed to clip through one of the locks. She threw the lock and clips to the ground and opened the locker. Inside was a large rifle like device. A small shelf held the ammunition for it. Large syringes were labeled by their strength. Amanda grabbed the highest strength and headed out the door. She loaded the gun clumsily as she ran towards the sound.

"Amanda!" Silver Claw shouted. He tried to run after her but a pulse of pain forced him to walk.

Amanda ran as fast as she could down the halls, she followed the noises because she did not know her way. She rounded corner after corner until she finally rounded the last corner and nearly froze out of sheer terror.

The spinosaur had torn up much of the roof by the entrance. Its long, bloodied snout snapped ferociously at Zenith and Sophia. The two raptors were side by side, slashing with their claws at the snout. Sophia was injured; large holes punctured her tail and the flesh at the end of the tail was torn all the way to the bone. Zenith however appeared to be uninjured except a small bleeding wound on his foot.

"Zenith, Sophia, get back!" Amanda shouted even though they could not hear her.

Amanda raised the gun and fired. The force of the recoil sent Amanda to the ground. The dart however hit its mark. The spinosaurus let out a thunderous roar and pushed further into the building. It was now fixed on Amanda.

She fumbled with the weapon and it fired. The dart exploded upon impact near Zenith and Sophia. Sophia looked at Amanda and snarled angrily.

Amanda pulled the trigger again. The spinosaurus let out a roar that could shatter windows. The dart had struck it again but not in the snout. The dart buried itself in the eye of the beast. Crimson blood gushed from the wound. The spinosaur swung its head up and through the reinforced roof. Zenith and Sophia managed to get out of the way of falling debris, but only just.

A shadow fell over the door way. The body of the spinosaurus fell forward. The walls and part of the roof collapsed as the body hit the ground. A final wheeze came and then nothing. The spinosaur was dead.

Amanda sighed in relief but suddenly she was thrown to the floor, the gun slid well beyond her reach. She looked up to see Sophia's blood drenched maw inches from her face.

"This is all your fault!" Sophia screamed.

Amanda tried to push her off but felt the blood soaking through her shirt as Sophia placed her claw over Amanda's stomach.

"Move, I dare you," Sophia snarled. Her voice quivered out of pain and a rage that Amanda had never seen before. "I should rip you to pieces!"

"Sophia!" Silver Claw shouted at her.

"What," Sophia snapped. She looked at Silver Claw and hissed.

"Get off her Sophia!" Silver Claw shouted even louder. He made himself look larger and raised his feathers out of dominance.

Sophia snarled even louder and seemed to be about to leap on him. Sophia looked down at Amanda and then back to Silver Claw. She gave a heavy kick to Amanda's gut before she ran down a hall away from Silver Claw.

Amanda gasped for air. The kick had knocked the breath out of her.

"Amanda!" Silver Claw shouted and raced to Amanda's side.

"Sophia!" Zenith disappeared down the hall after her.

Silver Claw stopped and looked over Amanda. A dark stain on her shirt caused a wave of panic pulsate through him. A narrow cut in the shirt was at the center of the blood. Amanda was in tears and coughing.

Silver Claw gently pulled back the shirt…


	37. Complications Arise

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 37: Complications Arise

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: Sorry for the long wait but I've been really busy with school and other related things lately. I would like to let you know that a new female human character will be introduced sometime in the near future and that a new poll has been posted about the kinds of relationships that you, the reader, would like to see more of in this story. I did not write the scene at the end any longer or descriptive because this story has a T rating.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw let out a breath, long and deep. Amanda was ok; she had only been kicked by Sophia and nothing more. One of her claws must have caught the shirt as she ran to the hall. His mind settled and calmed though he was angry with Sophia for what she had meant to do. What if she had wounded Amanda fatally? He did not want to even consider that possibility.

"Amanda," Silver Claw said softly as he nuzzled her neck. Amanda's arms gasped him tightly and he laid himself by her side. She began to cry.

"I-I-I thought she would, I thought she was going to kill me!" Amanda wept.

"I did to my love," Silver Claw purred softly and sorrowfully. "I thought she hurt you badly." Amanda pulled back slightly and looked deep into his eyes. She tried to speak but only a gentle breath could escape her lips. Amanda placed her head against his and continued to cry softly. The long beams of radiating light from the sickle moon shone down over the carcass of the spinosaurus casting long shadows that slowly crept closer to Silver Claw and Amanda as they remained unmoved in the ruin of the building's entrance. Silver Claw stared into her eyes. They glistened with tears of pain. "I will not allow her to touch you again," Silver Claw spoke at last.

"I know… I…I almost wish we were alone again, just you and me in a cozy nest somewhere in the jungle. No packs, no rank, nothing but us and a quiet place to live, alone but together."

"I wish that too some of the time. What it would have been like if we were never disturbed in the building back in our old territory. Perhaps we could rebuild it someday, I mean the building. Make it our own, a perfect home for the perfect mate." Silver Claw nuzzled Amanda gently. "If you want, we can leave everything and just go home. I would do anything for you."

"I know you would." Amanda began to massage the muscles under his eyes after she wiped the tears from her face. "I know you would do anything for me. I would do anything for you and if we get out of this mess, I hope you know that I will go anywhere you want to go."

These words brought a smile to Silver Claw's snout, though it looked to be more of a grin. He gently began to lick Amanda's neck out of respect and love. She giggled slightly as it tickled her and the sorrow she felt seemed to fade away by just being close to Silver Claw and talking to him.

"Stop it," Amanda playfully pushed his head away. She was about to say more but a low, angry hiss drifted from outside the structure.

A long shadow cast down from the carcass. Next to the body stood a lone creature with long legs and arms tipped with blackened claws, its head was triangular in shape with long feathers at the back much like Silver Claw's but much longer, and a small crest on the tip of the snout. The scales glinted lightly in the moonbeams, its hide lacked pattern except a few peppered spots and several large scars. Its eyes glowed in a dull yellow hue in the light but had a murderous aura about them. It was an ornitholestes, a small hunter that traveled alone or in rare cases in packs.

It made several threatening hisses and barks aimed at Silver Claw. The feathers atop its head rose and straightened. The ornitholestes leapt forward baring its teeth and claws in a show of force. Silver Claw was quick to jump to his feet, ready to protect Amanda. Just as Silver Claw readied himself to attack, several more shapes appeared beside the carcass, it was not alone.

Silver Claw became hesitant. He was too weak to take on several ornitholestes at once. He stood his ground however, hoping that that would deter them. It did not. Three ornitholestes moved to the side of what appeared to be the leader and continued to advance on Silver Claw. They seemed almost ignorant of Amanda's presence and took little to no notice of her. The creatures began to spread out to enclose a circle around Silver Claw.

"Get out of here!" Amanda shouted as loud as she could in raptor which sounded like a very loud roar followed by a bark and then a growl. It startled the closest ornitholestes so much that it jumped back several feet but quickly moved back to the side of its leader. The ornitholestes returned their attention to Silver Claw.

Silver Claw's attention darted back and forth between the four ornitholestes. Then something caught his eye. Another one was walking out of the shadows of the hallway to his left. Silver Claw hissed and angled his body so that he could see all the predators at once.

The leader prepared to pounce when the creature exiting the hall was suddenly thrown back into the darkness. Its screeches and yelps came to a quick and abrupt end as blood fanned outward from the black of the hallway. A low rumbling growl reverberated from the dark and a pair of glowing eyes could be seen as clear as day but what the creature was could not. The ornitholestes quickly turned to face this new threat but as it revealed itself, they scrambled for the doorway, though they did not make it far before the creature was on them ripping flesh from bone. Before long, the carcass of the four lay in a growing pool of blood. The creature that had killed them slowly looked from body to body to ensure they were dead before turning its attention to Silver Claw and Amanda. It gave a low, delighted hiss as the blood dripped from its jaws.

The creature hopped closer and became immersed in the pale moonlight. It was a velociraptor, tall and sleek in design standing a little over six feet tall and fifteen feet long. Its body was solid muscle from head to tail. The hide of the creature was a dark crimson color, darker than Silver Claw's eyes, and peppered by hues of dull yellow, green and black. Its head was much like Silver Claw's save the predominate crests above the eyes and lack of feathers. Bright blue eyes stared at Silver Claw, inspecting him.

Silver Claw hissed as loud as he could and stepped between Amanda and the raptor. His tail sat only inches above Amanda's head. His feathers raised and straightened, his claws were readied and his teeth showing. The raptor laughed at him.

"Don't even bother hatchling, if you try anything you'll only get hurt." The raptor's voice was distinctly female.

Amanda's eyes widened. "Tessa…is that you?" she questioned with a shaky voice.

"It is," the raptor responded. She moved her head to the side to see around Silver Claw who remained ready for a fight. "I thought you said he was strong, he does not look it. It seems he is mostly scales and bone."

"He…" Amanda could not think of a way to explain what happened that was short.

Tessa stepped forward but Silver Claw hissed. "Take another step and I'll kill you!"

"Silver Claw, she helped us. At least you could show a little kindness to her," said Amanda.

"I remember her, she was a spy sent to watch us."

"What are you talking about?" Amanda questioned.

Tessa's eyes lit up in recollection. "You were that little hatchling who bit me." Tessa gave a long laugh. "I remember you. You had wandered away from your pack when they was resting and stumbled upon me nearby, you thought you could fight me and make your family proud. I didn't notice you until you actually bit my foot. Still over zealous I see." Tessa laughed again.

"You told of our approach," Silver Claw hissed.

"I didn't kill, you should be happy about that." Tessa's voice became tempered. "Now tell me where my son is, I need to get him out of here."

"So there are others coming?" Amanda asked.

"Three of the strongest, much stronger that myself," Tessa said then added, "They'll be here in a day or so."

"Why so long?" Amanda asked.

"They leader of our pack sent a scout to search for the closest tunnels so that the hunting party could be sent through them. He found none and is now dead, the closest a day away so I must get my son and be gone tonight. Now enough questions, where is he?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ellie looked at the star filled sky. The moon cast shadows around her. It had been a few days since she had begun her camping experience with Sandy and all had been going well until the other day when they were attacked by a large mountain cat. It pounced on Sandy while they were hiking down a trail through the woods, the damage it did was minimal however. It would have been much worse if Sandy had not ensured Ellie brought her firearm with her, a small caliber handgun. She killed it on the first shot. The experience she had gained from being on Isla Sorna had helped much in rid her of the hesitation she might have had before as well as the guilt.

Ellie chuckled softly to herself. The things she had heard in the building where she now worked sounded like something out of a James Bond movie. In all her life she never thought she would be doing anything close to the line of work she was now doing and she liked it. It gave her such a thrill to be involved in secretive things that no one else knew about, though she sometimes found it hard when her parents asked what she was doing, lies could be so hard to keep at times. At least it kept her out of her home most of the time and engaged in something she loved doing. And she thought she was going to become an office manager when she was out of school. She chuckled again.

A small comet shot across the sky above and Ellie smiled. She missed Amanda, her and that raptor. Her smile lengthened. The fun they had had together was not something she would easily forget. Though there were the few incidents that made her question Silver Claw's intentions. Now she might like being in the jungle with them, something she had grown to miss was the quiet calm of the trees, the heavy air, and gentle breezes. Sure it was nice enough in the forests under the mountain's shadow but it was not like Isla Sorna. There was not much a thrill anymore.

A small snap caught her attention immediately. Her eyes darted back and forth scanning the creeping darkness around her. She caught a slight glimpse of movement and quickly drew her gun which she kept at her side always. A voice called out from the woods and Ellie holstered her gun. It was Sandy.

Sandy was a kind enough person and a great boss if you did not anger her. Her personality was ok though she was seem a little dominating at times, though it could have been her military background coming through. She had served in several classified operation in her time though it was not something she discussed openly and some of the time it seemed to haunt her. What ever it was she had done, it was nothing good. Another thing Ellie had noticed was that she had some ill content towards John Hammond. Ellie did not know exactly why but suspected that it had something to do with the fact he was becoming senile in his old age.

"I could have shot you," Ellie said as Sandy grew closer so that she did not have to yell.

"You're not that good yet," Sandy replied. "Anyway, I have some news you might like to know."

"Oh, what might that be?" Ellie crossed her arms and lay on the ground so that she was staring at the stars again.

"We've been recalled." Sandy stood looking down over Ellie.

"That's not something I wanted to hear," Ellie sighed, "I like it out here."

"We've been recalled because there has been and incident at Isla Sorna, or at least there will be."

"What!" Ellie sat up. "What happened?"

"You remember the attack Biosyn did to that building before you joined our little group?"

"How could I forget?"

"Well it seems that man responsible is headed to Sorna in the next few days. He's part of an 'off the records' section of Biosyn that is responsible for the Nublar incident it seems. It also seems that he is planning to pay your favorite island a little visit very soon."

"So we're going there?"

"No."

"What, we have to!"

"You're going. I have to stay behind to work on other…business."

Ellie jumped to her feet. "When do I go, there is no time to waste." A low whirling sound rumbled out of the distance. The lights of a helicopter became clear as it rose over the trees and hovered over where Ellie and Sandy were standing. A large rope ladder dropped from the helicopter and Sandy quickly began her accent. Ellie soon followed and soon she was in the belly of the copter. Soon they were off.

"You're going to need a few things before you go," Sandy shouted over the roar of the blades.

"Like what?"

"For starters a tranquilizer gun…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sophia raced down the winding passage ways. Anger pulsated throughout her entire body. Her vision seemed blurred from the hate she felt towards Amanda, every fiber of her just wanted to kill the thing that caused her so much pain. Sophia leapt over a fallen table and continued onward. The desperate calls of Zenith were distance echoes to her. She had retreated too far inside her mind to take much notice to him.

At last, she turned sharply, almost falling in the process, and disappeared within a room with the slam of a door. A low bang came from the latch inside being forced shut to lock the door. She had learned how to do it while she was in her old home to escape Silver Claw when she was playing games or just angry with him. She heard the thud as Zenith hit the door only to find it locked. Sophia turned away.

The dimly lit room was next to empty save a few overturned tables, chairs and a couch. Stained sheets and other material covered the chairs and couch while a clear plastic cover, worn and broken with age, lay draped over the tables. Leaves lay scattered on the once polished tile floor and vines crept from crumbling walls. Mold fanned out from areas where the roof had leaked on the ceiling and clusters of mushrooms grew in the resulting puddles. The air seemed to be unmoved and stale though a small draft swirled past Sophia.

Sophia headed towards the far corner of the room where the leaves had gathered most. She only wanted to be alone with her anger. Outside the room, Zenith persisted in his pleas for her to come out or at least let him in. She ignored him. At last she stopped, looking over the leaf pile. It was rather shallow but it would do for a small nest, at least for now. She could always gather more some time later. Sophia began to scratch the leaves in the shape of a nest when she noticed the droplets of blood beginning to pool under her tail. Her upper lip twitched with a furious cocktail of rage and hatred.

How could she even have considered a human mate? Humans are weak, pathetic creatures that should only be viewed as prey and nothing more. Silver Claw was wrong in his choice of mate. It would have been her, it should have been her. They were as close as they could be without actually being lovers and then he just went and fell for something as feeble as Amanda. Curse her name.

"Sophia, please talk to me," Zenith said almost in a whimper. "Please Sophia."

Sophia snarled halfheartedly. At least he did not have a human mate, Sophia though angrily. A thought crossed her mind on whether or not to allow him to be in the same room with her. She shook her head but the thought persisted. He was the one who saved her when the spinosaurus had her by the tail. He risked his life to save her by clawing the snout of the spinosaurus and was lucky to escape with only a minor wound on his foot. Sophia sighed, if it weren't for Zenith, she would be dead by now. Sophia stood unmoved for some time, lost in a train of thought. Finally, she decided with great reluctance to let him in.

Sophia held her head low as she moved quietly to the door. She was doing this out of obligation for saving her life and nothing more, or at least that is what she convinced herself to believe. Sophia reached up slowly and pulled open the latch so that Zenith could enter. Once he had entered, she closed it once more and locked it. Sophia turned to see the puppy eyes of Zenith staring at her in sorrow.

"What?"

"You're hurt," he gestured to her tail.

"It'll heal," Sophia walked past him and quickly curled up in her makeshift nest. She placed her head on top of the largest rise in the leaves.

"Sophia, are you sure you're going to be ok? I don't even want to think what could happen if you're not."

Sophia's head rose and stared at him. "I only let you in because I felt obligated to. You saved my life and this is how I'm thanking you. Enough with the questions, I'm ok, end of conversation."

Zenith lowered his head. "Could I lay with you like we did in the cave? I've never felt that safe and comforted since my mother left. Please."

Sophia turned her head away and remained quiet for a few minutes, "Fine, but don't bother me."

Zenith quickly curled up behind Sophia and gently pushed up her tail with his so that is was not lying on the ground. He set his head under her neck and gently nuzzled her chest. Sophia snorted and looked down at him. Why was he acting like this, she pondered. She knew he liked her but this was too much and too direct for her tastes. Even if she had feeling for him, which, she deigned to herself, was only because she was in season and needed a mate.

Sophia sighed. Her anger was wavering as her attention became more on Zenith, though her hate lingered like a cloud in her mind but for now subdued. What did he see in her that made him like her? She could not figure out why after all she had done to him that he could have any possible reason to like her. She had been aggressive towards him and at times threatened his life for following her around. She pushed his head away only to receive a saddened look. Sophia remained silent for a moment but at last spoke, "What is it that you like about me, I mean, I've only been…angry and mean towards you. What is it you could possible see in me?"

Zenith stared almost in a daze at her. It hadn't struck him that she would as such a question. He pondered for a millisecond and then answered. "You're the most beautiful female I've ever seen. I think you're fun and smart and…" Zenith turned his head with embarrassment, "Very attractive. Being close to you makes my heart race. When I saw you from the log, I felt the same way. My mother told me that I would know what love felt like if I found the right female and I think I found one, you."

"You don't love me," Sophia sighed. "I'm in season, that's the only reason you are attracted to me."

"No it's not," Zenith responded quickly. "I did not know you were until now."

"You must have smelled it," Sophia turned her head to the door as if expecting there to be a sound.

"I thought that was how you always smelled," said Zenith. "Anyway, I did not smell it until we were together in the cave."

"What?"

"I was a little ill recently and my snout was stuffed up a bit," Zenith placed his head against her neck. "See, I liked you even when I didn't know you were ready to have hatchlings."

Sophia turned her head away and exhaled heavily. She did not know what to think. If he was telling the truth that meant some one actually cared for her and that felt, strange. She had not felt this way since the day she became an adolescent. She felt warmth deep inside her. Some one actually cared for her again and not like those hormone driven males of the southern part of the island. Sophia turned her head back to see Zenith had turned his gaze downward and was eyeing a leaf, reddened by her blood. She realized that she had some feelings towards him and no matter how much she tried, they would not go away. She gently placed her snout against his and nuzzled him slightly. She felt warmth and confusion. He was a green but yet he was different than one. Perhaps it was the fact he was alone for so long that he did not end up like the others. There were things she did not like about him but she could help him change.

Zenith looked to Sophia and showed his teeth in joy. "You like me too?"

Sophia took a breath, "I don't know. I'm confused right now."

"Why are you confused?"

"I don't know. I felt alone for so long that I don't know what anything means to me any more." Sophia laid her head on the leaves. "My life is a sad story you should know. I once thought I loved Silver Claw and he loved me but things have changed so much this past while. My pack was killed and I forced to flee our territory thinking I was the only survivor, and then to top it all off, I was abused by the pack I sought refuge in. Then Silver Claw came, I thought all was going to be alright but…, he had a mate, a human to make things worse. Though he thought she was dead but when he found her my world came crumbling down on me, what hope I felt, left me completely."

Sophia felt Zenith's touch against her neck and then he shifted to be right against her body. Zenith began to purr softly, a soothing and deep tone that could calm most uneasy minds. "Mine is sad too. My mother left, I nearly died many times of starvation in the first while. My friend, the winged one, made her nest in the structure nearby. She dropped fish all the time and I survived on that for the most part. After her mate died in a storm and her eggs were eaten by the mean creatures that attacked me the day my mother left, she discovered me and took me in as her own until I got too big. I wandered the forest for most of the time, alone. I was so scared. The dark frightened me the most and I tried to be home before dark all the time. When I saw you from that tree, I felt all the fear leave me. That's why I stayed instead of returning home."

Sophia lifted her head and look directly into Zenith's eyes. She saw her reflection. He was like her, a sad soul in the wide, cruel world. Sophia could not help but feel saddened by his life. Thoughts and memories stirred in her of her home and how it nearly destroyed her in the wake of their death. Sophia gently licked Zenith's snout and then wrapped her neck around his. He purred loudly.

"I'm not confused anymore," Sophia whispered. "I think we could try being together and see how it works." Zenith was speechless. "I want you to know I will never forgive you if you break my heart or let me down though."

"I won't," Zenith replied simply. "I won't."

Outside the building there was some commotion, footsteps and quiet growls, but they paid it no attention. Zenith brought himself as close as he could to Sophia and began to clean her scale. Sophia purred; something she had not done out of joy in some time. It felt wonderful to have someone she could trust and who cared for her. She no longer felt angry but happy. She had found someone she cared for, maybe even loved, maybe a mate. Only time would tell what could become of it.

Sophia inhaled deeply and her whole body shuddered. In the breath, she caught a heavy aroma, distinctly male and deeply intoxicating to a female in season. It was Zenith; his body was producing the scent. Sophia felt confused all of a sudden and had no idea of what to do. Her mind was becoming clouded again, not with anger but with Zenith's scent. She felt something deep within awaken, an instinct she had not felt since the incident with the plant where she nearly courted Loki. Zenith felt it was well. His movements became slower and unsure. His body shuddered with each breath and though he tried to, he could not keep himself cleaning her scales. He found himself nibbling on her and she began to nibble back.

It seemed to be an eternity that passed before Sophia pulled away and stood up. Zenith stared at her, confused but soon stood as well. Sophia's mind became completely clouded and she felt as if she no longer had control of her body. She brushed against Zenith provokingly. Zenith seemed confused at first but soon his instincts kicked in and he began to rub against her. Sophia pushed his side and made a low, whimpering growl. He responded by nipping at the underside of her jaw. They made low growls and chirps to each other. They could not stop themselves.

Sophia turned away from Zenith and raised her tail. She had no idea why she was doing it but Zenith seemed to know. He approached her from behind and then Sophia felt a weight on her back. His teeth became locked on the back of her neck. She felt a sharp pain and let out a low whimper. Some time passed before the weight lifted off her and then Sophia realized what she had done. She had mated with Zenith.

A furry of thoughts swirled in Sophia's mind. How could this have happened? Was she going to be with eggs soon? Did he actually mate with her? She looked at Zenith. He seemed almost as shocked as she was. His expression was nearly blank as Sophia turned to him.

"I didn't mean to," Zenith said suddenly, "I don't know what came over me. I couldn't help it."

"So we did…" Sophia trailed off. Zenith nodded. "We can't tell anyone."

"I know," Zenith seemed to be shaking slightly. "Are you…"

"Am I what?"

"Are you with egg?"

"I don't know." Sophia replied quietly. She felt her legs trembling. It was like she was a hatchling being caught doing something it was told not to. She was beyond nervous.

"I really didn't mean to," Zenith lowered his head. "It was an accident."

"I don't know what came over me either Zenith," Sophia admitted. "It's not just your fault, it's mine too. I won't know if I'm going to lay eggs or not for a little while so let's just keep this our secret. Ok?"

"Ok," Zenith said nodding.

A loud bang came from the door. Sophia jumped and faced the door. It had startled her so much that her heart was racing even more than she thought possible. A bang came again from the door but this time a voice followed.

"Sophia, are you in there?" It was Silver Claw.

Sophia hissed. "What do you want?" She tried to hide the fact her voice was a little shaky.

"Is Zenith with you?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I have someone with me who would like to speak to him."

"Tell Amanda that we don't want to speak to her or you Silver Claw." Zenith said before Sophia had a chance to speak. "You hurt Sophia, go away!"

"Zenith honey, it's me, your mother."

Zenith froze in place, "Mom…"


	38. To the North

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 38: To the North

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: I would like to thank my Beta reader for pointing out that I broke the TOS and so I had to change the rating of this story to M. Updating has been slow because I have been busy with school, finals and unfortunately a slight loss of interest in writing fanfictions due to the fact I have my own novels I'm in the process of planning and writing. Hopefully I can update more during the summer and I will continue writing until this story is completed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Zenith stood frozen in place. His gaze fixed on the door. It was his mother. She had returned. After all this time she came back, he could not believe it. He was dumbstruck and when he tried to speak, he could not find the words. It came out as an inaudible whisper of a growl.

"Zenith please open this door, it's me."

Sophia looked at Zenith for a moment and then nudged him. He seemed to snap out of his daze and looked at Sophia. "Is that really her?"

Zenith nodded but did nothing more. He wanted to yell and shout in joy but could not. During all the time she had been gone, he had dreamed of seeing her again but now that she was here, it upset him. The pain he felt when she did not return burst from its corner of his mind and filled him with doubt about why she left him, her reasons for returning. Did she love him anymore? Was it that she saw him as an unfit child? Did she really return because of him? He chose not to speak as his mind was a flood of questions without answers.

Sophia looked into Zenith's eyes and saw the confusion he felt. She did no know what to do. What could she do? It was Zenith's mother and though she was a green, Sophia knew she might as well consider her family after what just happened between her and Zenith even if she were not with egg. At least for the time being she would put up with her, maybe she was unlike the other greens. It only seemed right to allow her into the room. Sophia slowly walked to the door and pressed open the latch. Before she could do anything, the door flew open and Sophia had to jump out of the way in order not to be hit by it. The raptor, she assumed was Zenith's mother ran straight to him and began nuzzling him. Zenith only stood still, his eyes moved only slightly too look upon her.

Zenith's mother stopped and looked at Sophia. Her keen eyes examined Sophia so deeply that she felt as if her very soul was being prodded with a sharpened stick. Sophia however did no look away and kept her eyes fixed on hers. She felt threatened by this raptor but could not figure out, why? It was a feeling deep down that she could not explain.

"You're injured Sophia," Tessa spoke at last.

"It will heal," Sophia replied plainly as she inspected Zenith's mother. "Why are you here?"

Tessa smiled and turned her attention back to Zenith. "I missed you so much my son."

"Why did you leave me?"

Tessa's head lowered. "You have to understand that I had to. If I didn't, they would have killed you or made you into a monster like the others have become."

"I don't understand." Zenith pulled away from his mother slightly. "Why didn't you tell me, why didn't you take me with you?"

"I knew you wouldn't understand. You were too young," Tessa exclaimed. "I though that if you didn't know, it would be better for you. I meant to come back but I never could escape them."

"I nearly died," Zenith said in such a tone, if Tessa could cry, she would. "Those creatures that bothered us all the time attacked me and I had to hide. Then I waited for you for a long time before I left to find something to eat. I almost didn't. I don't even know how to hunt."

"I'm so sorry my son," Tessa said and turned her head away in shame. Her eyes met with Sophia's again. "So Sophia is the one you like, really?" Sophia growled.

"Yes," replied Zenith, he said nothing more because of a glance from Sophia.

Tessa sighed and looked away. "We have to leave now, it's not safe here."

"And go where?" Sophia questioned in an almost testy tone.

"I know a place to the north that should protect us for a while I figure out something."

"Why do we have to leave?" Zenith asked. "I like it here."

"Others are coming to kill Silver Claw and Amanda," Tessa responded quickly. "If they find you, then they will kill you as well, same goes with anyone around them. Now that I'm with you, I cannot let that happen."

Sophia looked to the doorway where Silver Claw stood with his head resting against Amanda's shoulder and his eyes closed. His breathing was irregular and heavy. A small amount of white saliva dripped from his drooping tongue. He had an ill look about him.

"Let's get going," said Amanda as she placed her hand on Silver Claw's head and gently stroked his crest. "We should leave right now."

"But what about the Tyrannosaurus," Sophia said. "I would rather not be caught again."

"If we don't leave soon," Tessa stated, "we won't be able to because the carcasses will attract it."

"Carcasses," Sophia questioned but received no answer.

"Then let's get going," Amanda said with more emphasis. She was worried about Silver Claw, it seemed that not eating had caught up with him and he was in pain, a lot of pain. His body was beginning to shake slightly and she did not like the look of the white saliva hanging from his maw. "We should leave now," Amanda started for the entrance with Silver Claw beside her though she helped him a bit so that he did not fall.

Sophia looked at Zenith and sighed, "Do you want to go?"

"I think we have to," Zenith replied with a saddened look. This building was his home and always had been. He did not want to leave it but he knew they had to. He sighed and looked at the ground.

Tessa nodded and headed out the door. She quickly passed Silver Claw and took the lead. Zenith and Sophia walked out of the room, following behind Silver Claw and Amanda. As they rounded the hall to the entrance, the smell of the carcasses rushed to meet them. Blood had pooled across most of the hall and was illuminated by beams of light striking it from the setting moon. It was a gruesome sight the five bodies, four of them ornitholestes and one the spinosaurus, all bleeding out over the floor. It looked as if it were from a horror movie.

There were no other creatures around as Tessa scanned the boarders of the forest for none dared come near. Not a bird, hint of movement, or rustle of trees disturbed the forest. It had an illusory look to it as if had been placed their out of a science fiction novel. The trees were silhouetted against the darkened sky and lit only by the fading moon. The grasses around the structure were silent and still like they were frozen by an icy chill.

"It's safe," Tessa stated and moved into the grass.

Amanda groaned. Her stomach was aching a little but it was nowhere near what Silver Claw felt and so she did not complain. She looked to the sky. It was well past midnight. The moon was sinking into the horizon and the sun would soon rise, its light was already creeping through the darkness. The stars were not as easily seen as they were most nights because a heavy fog was moving in off the ocean and its edge had already gripped the island with pale fingers, cold and moist. It would not be long before the island was fully engulfed in a heavy blanket of fog.

Amanda felt an odd feeling as if she were being watched and so looked around. She saw that Sophia had her eyes fixed on her, though it was hard to tell if she was angry or just watching. Sophia was talking with Zenith. The subject of the conversation was a mystery to Amanda as she quietly watched them talk back and forth but she doubted even Silver Claw or Tessa could hear what it was about. Amanda looked away and back towards the sky. It was not long however before it disappeared behind the dense canopy of the jungle's edge.

The jungle itself was filled with an uneasy quiet and though not a sound could be heard save the gentle crunch underfoot, the raptors became more alert to all around them, listening and watching for the slightest sign of danger. A small beetle crawling through the undergrowth could not escape notice. At times, Tessa turned her attention to the ground beneath her. Every now and again she would tap her killing claw against the ground while listening intently. She was searching for something.

"Amanda," Sophia said softly, almost so that she could not hear her.

Amanda looked back with a puzzled expression but kept moving so that Silver Claw would still have support. "Yes Sophia," she replied uneasily.

"I'm, I'm…" She trailed off and looked to Zenith with a frustrated expression. He only nudged her and pointed with his snout to Amanda. "I'm sorry for attacking you," Sophia quickly turned to Zenith, quietly whispering, "There are you happy now."

"Thank you, I forgive you for that." Amanda sighed. She felt almost as awkward as Sophia did at that moment. She could not think of something else to say, so did not. She slowly looked back to Tessa who continued to search the ground for something.

"Don't you feel better now," Zenith said. "It's not nice to stay angry with someone."

"I feel like a fool Zenith," Sophia hissed quietly. "You're lucky…" Sophia stopped at the sound of a solid click.

Tessa stopped and moved her foot around in a large area. She continued to click her claw against something. The others looked on, confused and unsure. Tessa stepped a few paces forward and clicked on the ground again then she began to move swiftly, clicking her claws as she went. She turned again a corner and stopped. Only her tail remained visible. When the others caught up, they found themselves facing a large concrete structure.

Its door was a rusty color but solid even with age. Small lights cast a dull light upon the jungle adjacent, though a few were broken and until. The walls of the building were solid and most likely reinforced with steel or another hard metal. The walls angled from the broad base until flattening at the top where broken rods, mesh fencing, and a few shatter spotlight were the only remnants of an old watch tower. Vines and other creeping plant life snaked up the sides and hid the structure from view for the most part. The building was built to hold back any dinosaur and even the strongest storm. There was no doubt in Amanda's mind that it could withstand even tornados without much more than some rattling even at its age and without maintenance.

"This is the place," Tessa said firmly and walked to the doorway. She stopped suddenly and looked at it. "This isn't right."

"What?"

"The door is locked, I remember leaving it unlocked. I can't get in unless this is unlocked, those bars go some ways into the wall and it's too hard a material for me to chew through." Tessa looked back to Zenith. "Did you play here and lock the door."

"No," Zenith replied. "I never played her because you told me not to wander this way unless you told me so."

"For this long, you have never come this way, not even once."

"No," Zenith said plainly.

"Humph," Tessa back away and looked to the higher parts of the structure and noticed a large metal plate propped open by a stick. She twisted her head in confusion and looked towards Amanda. "Have you ever been here?"

"No," Amanda replied and then noticed the way the stick was positioned, it was not there by chance. Someone had put it there to keep it open. "Someone was here."

Tessa hissed and moved beneath the opening before leaping onto the angled wall. She gripped the wall tightly and slowly crawled towards the open window. At last she reached it and upon looking into the hole, large enough to allow her passage, she hissed and moved swiftly out of sight, disappearing into the confines of the building.

From within the building, a loud thud sounded and someone screamed. It was distinctly male. Loud banging resonated from within the structure and Tessa made several loud and threatening hisses and roars, enough to send even the mightiest into hiding. Amanda knew she did not want to know what Tessa was going to do to the poor man and she should have told her not to harm whoever was in there. She moved off to the side of the building and leaned against the wall, she cupped her hands over her ears so that she could not hear it when he was killed.

Silver Claw stood on wobbly legs and meant to follow Amanda when the door opened with a loud bang. Silver Claw, Sophia and Zenith stood patiently but no one emerged. Tessa's roar came from within and a young man came running out the door with Tessa on his heels. It took only a moment for the man to realize the mistake he had made and tried to turn around and grab the door on his way back into the building but he was quickly cut off by Tessa. The man quickly backed into a corner, his face pale with fright.

Sophia grinned and moved closer towards the man. She showed her teeth and raised her claws. It was obvious that Tessa had only chosen to scare this human and had no intention of killing him. Sophia grinned. She might get her revenge on a human with out having to kill one after all. She snarled and hissed with a posture that showed she meant to harm him.

"You aren't going to kill him," Silver Claw question upon realizing why Amanda had moved out of sight.

Tessa's eyes remained on the man, "No, I would have done than when I woke him from his slumber. I figured Amanda may like to speak to this one, and anyways, I am not hungry right now."

Sophia hissed out of excitement. She had prey but knew she could not kill it, not as long as Amanda was traveling with them. She made a threatening leap forward and the man covered his face with his arms and began to cry. This made her want to kill him even more but she held back.

"Is it over yet?" Amanda asked Silver Claw. She could not hear the man anymore and so assumed it was over.

"He's alive," Silver Claw said and gestured for Amanda to come and see.

Amanda slowly walked over and peer around the corner. She did not see the man at first but when she did, her eyes widened. He had brown hair and hazel eyes. His face was a bit rough with the beginnings of a beard and a number of scratches on his left cheek mixed with a few pimples. He was of average height with a strong build and broad shoulders. Her heart nearly skipped a beat. She stepped into sight but the man did not seem to notice her.

"Tom...Tom!" Amanda rushed up to the man and flung her arms around him, embracing him tightly. She began to cry and hugged him even tighter.

"A-A-Amanda," The man stuttered. "You're… you're alive!"

"Yes," Amanda wept. "I thought you had died in the attack!"

A hiss from Sophia made Tom move in front of Amanda. "Look out for the monsters!"

Amanda tried to comfort him but he seemed to be planning an escape. "There not monster Tom, these are my friends."

Tom stopped, dumbstruck by what he had heard. He looked at Amanda as if she were crazy for a moment but then shook his head. "How can these beast be your friends, they can't even understand us."

Sophia hissed upon hearing him call her a beast and stepped forward, lowering her snout to his head while it was turned. She snorted and her eyes met his fearful eyes. He shouted and backed away, forcing Amanda into the corner even more.

"Sophia back off!" Amanda demanded and just as quickly realized it sounded more like an order and how she reacted last time, "Please."

"Watch it," Sophia turned away and walked out of sight into the jungle. Zenith quickly followed.

Amanda turned her attention back to Tom and hugged him again. "A few others survived as well. They're off the island I think."

Tom's breathing was labored and his limbs were stiff with fear. He kept his eyes on the remaining two raptors. Tessa had turned her attention towards the area when Zenith had gone but Silver Claw's attention was on Tom.

Silver Claw cocked his head. What was it about this person that Amanda had so much feeling for. Was he someone from her boat, she did know him so most likely. He had missed hearing what they were speaking about because of something in the distance attracting his attention. Silver Claw felt somewhat threatened by the human for some reason. Ellie was not even received with this much joy. What was it about him that Amanda felt so happy to see him?

"That one's staring at me," Tom said uneasily, "I think he wants to eat me."

"No, he's just making sure you don't harm me," Amanda replied in a chuckle. "His name is Silver Claw incase you wanted to know."

"Nice Silver Claw," said Tom with a quiver in his voice. "Are you sure they can understand us?"

"Silver Claw could you come here please," Amanda asked. "This is Tom, he and Ellie are my best friends from back home."

Tom shook his head in fear. Silver Claw walked to them slowly and lowered his head. The smell that surrounded a carnivore washed over Tom with every breath and he had to cover his nose and mouth to keep from throwing up.

Amanda smiled and moved next to Silver Claw, she remained seated on the ground. She leaned her head against his and gently kissed him. "See, he's nice."

Tom's expression was that of disgust and confusion. "Did you really just kiss him?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Amanda placed her hand under Silver Claw's jaw, scratching it softly.

"He's an animal," Tom said and after a moment added, "Is he your pet or something?"

"No, nothing like that," Amanda sighed. "You won't believe me but… Silver Claw here is my mate."

"What?"

"My lover I guess I should say." Amanda felt awkward trying to explain herself. "Like husband and wife, I'm his mate and he is mine."

"That's disgusting," Tom shuddered. "I must be dreaming."

"This isn't a dream," Amanda said and pinched him in the arm quickly. "He was the first creature I found, I guess I should say he found me. We've been together since two days after the boat was attacked."

"By husband and wife, you don't mean that you two…" Tom trialed off, his face was that of disgust.

Amanda looked at him in confusion for a moment and then her eyes lit up in realization. "Oh god no," Amanda nearly shouted. "We never have done that! I know better than that Tom!"

Silver Claw was still confused and nudged Amanda.

"He asked if we had ever mated," Amanda replied and realized how she had said it as Tom backed as far as he could into the corner.

"What was that?" He asked in complete disbelief of how Amanda said it. It was not human.

"I was taught…" Amanda stopped herself realizing that she had said it in raptor and so started over but in English. "I was taught by Silver Claw here. He taught me how to speak his language and understand it. I speak fluently in velociraptor. You should have seen my dad's reaction when I yelled at him in raptor before I came back here."

"Your dad survived?" Tom said. "Who else did?"

"I only know about Ellie," Amanda sighed. "I never found out whom else."

"What is it doing," Tom's attention turned to Tessa. Tessa had walked towards the door and was pushed on different buttons a control panel.

"Tessa," Amanda questioned.

"When I was young I was very curious how humans used different devices," Tessa pressed several buttons before she got the result she wanted and the metal bars slid into the lock position. "It did not take long to figure out how things worked."

"Did she just lock the door?" Tom said in disbelief.

"Yeah, she watched how humans worked things when they were still on the island."

"I've gone insane," Tom muttered to himself.

"I feel like that sometimes," Amanda laughed.

"Run!" Zenith shouted as he ran out of the jungle. Sophia was close behind him and they passed into the building as the tyrannosaurus burst through a cluster of trees. The others rushed into the building but neglected to close the door. The tyrannosaurus slammed against the entrance of the building with a solid thud. Several things within the building rattled but the structure gave no sign of giving out. The head of the rex thrust into the doorway and snapped wildly but the short snout could not reach anything save the floor mat which it chewed up into a shredded mess only to spat it out finding it not to be food. The maw opened and a terrifying roar rattled the building before the creature pulled away and disappeared out of sight but not out of earshot.

Tessa walked slowly to the door and looked out. "It's watching me." Tessa pressed a button on the door and the bars unlocked again. She began to pull the door shut when the rex charged again. The door however was closed enough that the force of the rex hitting it, slammed it shut and dented it slightly. Tessa quickly pressed the buttons until the door locked. The rex roared again as it continued to hit the building.

Tom looked around nervously. He was surrounded by four carnivores. He sought safety by Amanda but she had her arms around Silver Claw and he dared not go near him. Slowly, he passed by Silver Claw and headed for a corner he felt safer in but it seemed the recent rain had pooled into a muddy mess and so he shied away, heading towards his bed.

Amanda gently pressed Silver Claw's feathers flat and released him. She looked around and noticed that Tom was wondering towards the back of the room. Her stomach growled, reminding her that they had to find something to eat soon. Perhaps he had some food somewhere in the building. There was bound to be something, how else would he have lasted so long.

"Tom?" Amanda said softly. He stopped and looked at her but did not speak. "Do you have food around here?"

"Yes…" Tom said hesitantly. "I don't have much though, I'm down to my last few cans that I managed to get."

"Could I see them please?" Amanda said and walked towards him.

"Uh… you aren't going to feed it to those creatures, are you?"

"Silver Claw hasn't eaten in days, he needs something soon or he'll die." Several tears rolled down her cheeks at the thought of losing Silver Claw. "Please."

Tom sighed, "They're over there in that cupboard." He pointed to the far wall next to a stairway leading up to the second level of the building.

"Thank you," Amanda kissed him gently on the cheek. She smiled as he blushed and then she walked towards the cupboard.

"You don't know how hard it was to get those the last few days."

"Where'd you get them from?" Amanda asked curious to find out if there was another building nearby.

"A large building in the center of a field," Tom replied.

"When was the last time you were there?"

"Earlier today, I was nearly caught too." Tom sighed and sat down on the bed. He reached under the pillow and pulled out a strange looking plant. "I fell into this a while back, the fifth day here I think it was. It seems to cover up smells I use it every day to keep things away from me."

"I was in the building earlier today, actually for the past few days." Amanda said. "I can't believe you were there and not found."

"I ducked under a table covered by a sheet." Tom said. "Two creatures walked right past it. One I recognized from when I went there every few days for supplies, come to mention it now, it looked a lot like that one there." He pointed to Zenith.

"That's because it was him, he was the only one living there for quiet some time," Amanda opened the doors to the cupboard and sighted with relief. There were several rows of cans. Most of them appeared to be meats while a few were mixed vegetables. Amanda grabbed as many cans of the meats as she could and turned around. "Is there a can opener around here?"

"Yeah but do you have to take so many," Tom protested but a glance from the raptors silenced him and he pulled the can opener out of a drawer, giving quickly to Amanda. "I guess if it keeps them from eating me, they can have it."

"This is still good right?" Amanda asked.

"I should be, it expired some time ago but I've been eating it and I'm fine." Tom moved further away from the raptors. Even with Amanda's reassurance, he did not feel safe around them, especially the one who attacked him. How could she even feel safe? No matter how long of time had passed he could never be comfortable around them.

Amanda sat down in front of Silver Claw on the dirt floor of the structure. She began to open the can.

"Aren't you going to cook that first, I don't know if it's a good idea to leave it uncooked."

"Maybe you're right," Amanda sighed and stood up. "I don't want you getting worse. Where is the kitchen?"

"Upstairs," Tom said. "I don't think your _friends_ could get up there though."

"Yeah, I don't think so either," Amanda replied noticing how the stairway circled around several times before disappearing into the floor above. "I'll be back in a little while Silver Claw." Amanda reassured him. She made her way to the stairs and began to make her way up with Tom not far behind. It seemed that he had not trusted her enough to believe the raptors were safe to be around.

Amanda reached the top and looked around excitedly. The area was almost completely open with the kitchen at the far end, two large tables at the center and a computer off to the left side of the room with a flickering screen. Dust coated much of the room and it was not hard to tell where Tom had been. Small barred windows encircled the room to allow the morning light in.

"Wow, it's nice up here."

"I know, I stay up here some times when it gets too hot downstairs," Tom looked down the stairs to see Sophia staring up at him so he quickly passed Amanda making his way to the stove. "The downstairs is unfinished and they did not use this place much so everything is mostly unused. Did you notice the fence around the area, or at least what's left of it?"

"No," Amanda set the cans on the counter and continued opening the one she started. "Are there pots?"

"Yeah," Tom ducked down and opened a cupboard. He pulled out a large frying pan and placed it on the stove. He turned on the stove and picked up a barbeque starter beside it. "I can't believe things still work around here, the only thing I can't work is that computer and that's because it needs a password to get on." With a click of the trigger, the gas ignited and the fire began to heat the pan.

"I know one that might work." Amanda replied and tipped the can, letting the food slide out and onto the pan. She spread it out with her fingers. "It's been so long since I needed a computer though."

"If you don't mind, would you tell me what happened to you?"

"I guess but it's a long, long story." Amanda said and moved to the table. "How about after, you tell me how you survived this entire time alone."

"Sure," Tom sighed and sat down in a chair next to her. "I don't think I'll ever forget that night, not in a thousand years could I."

"I know, so many of our friends and my family died," Amanda sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I don't know if you want me to start with what happened on the boat do you?"

"I was below deck at the time so I only saw that monster after we were sinking. I didn't see you in any of the three rafts that managed to get away. How did you know others survived?"

"I was on the mainland for a bit but came back," Amanda sighed. "My dad must think I'm crazy. I shouted at him in raptor and ran away. I managed to get onto a boat and then back here."

"You were off the island but came back?" Tom stated in disbelief. "Why would you come back to this hellhole?"

"Silver Claw," Amanda smiled. "I love him more than life itself. Sort of like how I felt for you before the incident that forced us apart." Amanda chucked slightly and continued. "We were as close as friends could be without actually being lovers." Amanda sighed. "Anyways, Silver Claw asked me to be his mate and I couldn't refuse him."

"That much eh," Tom leaned back in his chair. "He must really be something special then. I know we had our fight and things didn't get as far as we had hoped back then but I must tell you that I am sorry."

"I know you are Tom," Amanda looked at the stairway. "We remained friends and that's good enough. There's no need to apologize anymore what happen was so long ago, I've nearly forgotten what it was about."

Tom froze, listening all of a sudden to something in the distance. "Do you hear that?"

"I'm not sure, what is it you hear?"

"A motor, it sounds like a helicopter." Tom jumped up, tipping the chair over. "My god I'm going to get rescued."

"It might not even stop here," Amanda said almost tearing. The emotions of the night she was nearly raped by the man rushed back to her and she felt like she was being starved of air. "I hope they don't."

"What!" Tom shouted. "I want to go home."

"I want you to but I don't want it to be with certain people." Amanda wiped the tears from her face. "If it's InGen, don't get them to stop here, don't attract them to us."

Tom grunted and ran to a window. He looked out and was nearly jumping up and down in excitement. The helicopter was flying low, almost to the point of skimming the tree tops. It passed overhead and seemed to be heading in the direction of the building. The low beat of the blades continued for some time and seemed to go no further then silence.

"I think they landed!" Tom shouted with joy. Something hard impacted the side of the building and Tom jumped back. It was the tyrannosaurus. Its great eye peered into the window, watching. It growled and moved off into the jungle.

"Landed or not, I don't think we'll be going anywhere with that thing hanging around us." Amanda said and looked to the food. It seemed to be just about done. She walked over and began poking at it to see if it were ready. She looked back at Tom. He had sunk to the floor and was hiding it well but she knew he was crying at least on the inside. He had his family and friends back home, they must think he's dead by now. Amanda sighed. She knew she had to help him get off the island and back to his old life. She had to.

"Alright Tom, I'll help you."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	39. The Human Influence

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 39: The Human Influence

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author note: I'm back from holidays and hopefully can update again soon. Please review because I would like know how well this chapter turned out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda held out her hand and Silver Claw graciously took the food. His drool coated her hand in sticky beads. Amanda chuckled slightly and grabbed more food for him. She looked to the stairway. Tom had decided to stay upstairs for the mean time until she was going to help him get off the island. It was too bad he did not like the raptors because if he were to learn the language, he may find being around them enjoyable.

Amanda giggled as Silver Claw's tongue tickled the palm of her hand. "Easy now, you don't want to choke on it." She cringed as the slimy strings of saliva rolled down her wrist and all the way to her elbow. She didn't mind though, at least he would get better and she could always wash it off later if there were a stream nearby.

"Thank you," Silver Claw said as he continued to lick her hand. "So this is what your cooked food tastes like?" He had enjoyed it quiet a bit, it was nothing like raw meats but yet it seemed to taste something similar to a mixture of parasaurolophus and gallimimus but with a stronger, foreign scent. It tasted better than it looked however. It looked like someone had thrown up in his mind but he still ate. It had to be good if Amanda was willing to eat it if he didn't want it.

"Yeah, pretty much." Amanda sighed. "If there were some spices, you might like it even more." She got a puzzled looked from Silver Claw for a moment. Amanda smiled and explained as simply as she could what spices did when one added them to the food. They way she described the taste he wondered why humans didn't just eat all the time with such abundance of food and so many different flavors.

Silver Claw felt himself becoming somewhat less hungry but the weakness in his muscles was yet too much for him to have any chance of going with her and he could not talk her out of it anyway. She had made it clear she was going to help Tom and that she couldn't let him stay here the rest of his life, though he suspect that she had other reasons as well for her willingness to help. He found it kind of funny that when Amanda walked away from one human another one enters her life. "I won't be able to go anywhere for a while." Silver Claw said saddened. "Are you sure you're going to be safe?"

"Don't worry," Amanda smiled and handed him more of the food, the plate was beginning to get rather empty. She knew she wouldn't get any of it. "If that rex is gone, we can get close to the building and then I'll see about going any closer." She sighed and leaned back slightly. She really hoped the rex was gone and would not bother them.

"What if they take you away?" Silver Claw stopped eating and looked at her. His mind filled with grievous thoughts of what might happen if they did and how much it would harm them both if it were to happen again, especially if one thought the other was truly dead.

"I won't let that happen and if it does, I'll find my way home to you." Amanda kissed him on the snout. "I promise." She held out more food which Silver Claw graciously accepted, his mind was slightly more at ease at her words. No matter what happened they would always be together even if it took a little while to get back to each other.

"Amanda, are you just about ready to go?" Tom asked from where he had seated himself halfway on the stairwell. "I think the monster is gone." He had filled a small backpack with personal items he kept hidden until he was able to go home. His thoughts however dwelled on how happy he would be to see his parents and them him.

"I don't know if it really is," Amanda looked around, "You wouldn't happen to have any weapons, would you?" She figured he didn't or at least none that he knew of but she thought she might as well ask anyway.

"Not that I know of," Tom leaned back and gently let his backpack set to one side. There were valuable things within it and he did not want them broken. Most precious of all was the bundle of bills he had gathered that amounted to a total of eleven thousand dollars which he found within the other building when he would go on trips for food. He figured he might as well get something out of being on this island if he ever got off. "Like I said, this place isn't finished."

"Well we're going to have to try the door then," Amanda fed the last of the food to Silver Claw. He needed it more than her, she reminded herself. "We should get you to lay somewhere more comfortable that this floor." Amanda wished that she could just lay with him and sleep for a while but she knew she couldn't. For being cold blooded at least that is what she had heard, he was surprisingly warm during the night even if he were not in the sun the previous day.

"I don't know where you'll find that," Tom said but quickly realized she was talking about his bed. "He can use the bed as long as he doesn't dirty it up." He grumbled slightly but quiet enough that Amanda did not hear though Tessa looked at him. If he was not able to get off the island he would have to sleep there again and he did not want some animal laying in it.

"Thank you Tom," Amanda said and help Silver Claw to his feet. "Just like in the compound hey?" She slowly walked him over to the bed and once he was settled down, she covered him up, much to the displeasure of Tom but she did not know it. She gently pressed his feathers down and hugged him.

"Yeah except we didn't have Ellie with us and Sunayana in the other beds," Silver Claw replied. "And I am not in as good of health as I was, and you aren't staying." Silver Claw saw her smile and it made him feel all the more better. She did not say anything but she did not have to, he knew what it was already. I love you.

Amanda smiled and kissed him again before walking to Tom. "Alright then, let's go. But remember that if I tell you something you have to do it." Tom nodded and slowly got off the stairs and stood by Amanda's side. Together they walked to the doorway and pressed the button, the latch did not open. Amanda pressed others but the door did nothing. Then it struck her, when the rex attacked it, it must have damaged the mechanisms inside. "This could be a problem."

Tom looked at her and then at the door. "Why? What happened to the door?" Amanda quickly explained what she thought had happened and Tom sighed. "I guess we're stuck in here then." He turned and walked away back to the stair way but a sudden bang made him jump. The window had been caught in the wind and slammed against the frame before swinging open again. His eyes lit up in realization. "We can use the window!"

"Hey, that could work but we'd need some rope so that we could get back in if anything when wrong." Amanda quickly looked around and when she saw some she quickly grabbed it. "I think this is long enough." With that she walked over and up the stairs until she was as close to the window as she could be with a strong enough beam to tie the rope so that it would stay. She tossed it out the window and then poked her head out to have a look around. "It looks clear at the moment although the rex could just be waiting behind the trees."

"I think we're going to have to take that chance." Tom said and quickly climbed onto the platform that sat just under the window. He would often lay and even sleep there when it was too hot inside the building because it seemed that any breeze or strong wind was forced in through the window but yet would not cool the rest of the building. He peered out the window. "I'll go first so that if it is out there, you won't be caught."

"Are you sure?" Amanda questioned but he was already out the window and sliding down the rope. It seemed from where she was it was a little hard for him to do it because his hands were starting to burn, which they were. Amanda waited until he was at the bottom before she started out the window. She heard Tom say several times that she should be careful. At last she reached the ground and blew on her hands; they were hot from the friction and now seemed tender. They began to move towards the building when they heard it, the distant roar of the Tyrannosaurus. It seemed that it had wandered off and in the opposite direction they were going. "This might be easier than I thought."

Swift and quiet they moved into the jungle passing as shadows amongst the trees with very little sound save the occasional crackle under foot from a branch or dried leaves. The air was humid in the early morning and a fog had settled over the island, even in the lighter areas if seemed they could only see about fifty meters ahead at any given time. The birds were quiet as if a great disturbance had silenced them and not a peep came from the trees. Occasionally the distant calls of brachiosaurs would drift though and make the jungles even more eerie. Amanda and Tom stopped and listened for a moment. The gentle footsteps of something was growing close but as of yet they could not see it but it was coming from behind them.

Amanda put her finger over her lips and moved into a bush as quickly and quietly as she could. Tom followed and soon they were hunkered down, well hidden by the scent the plant created. The footsteps grew ever closer and soon out of the mist a figure appeared, long and tall but the shape was unmistakable. It was a metriacanthosaurus but whether it knew where they were for sure or not could not be known yet. Amanda nearly gasped when she saw the creature. She had only seen the creature one other time and that was when Tyrannous was attacked by them. She watched patently as the creature lumbered into full view. It was not an adult but a juvenile though it was still taller than Amanda and Tom. It stopped only meters away from where its prey was hiding and began to sniff the air. It seemed unsure of where or even what they were but it was not about to give up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loki stood quietly in a large grove of trees. He was on the other side of the lake and a great ways away from the building in which they now called home. He was alone. The others had gone home but he had wanted some time to himself because it had been several days since any had heard or seen Alex or Tyrannous though some wondered if they would find each other and team up or preferably kill each other. At least it was quiet. Loki yawned lazily. It was early morning yet but he could not see the sun and figured he would not for some time because of the fog that had set in during the night. He slowly walked out of the brush and into an open field. If the fog had cleared, he would have been able to see the mountains on the other side of the island and the entire span of the territory but he couldn't and so sighed. He turned away and looked the other way. He was atop the highest hill on the edge of the territory this side of the cliffs where Silver Claw had lived for a short time. In the distance the gentle crash of waves brought back the memory of where he had left Amanda, Silver Claw and Sophia. He hoped they were alright.

Slowly, Loki started down the hill towards the lake and he felt his heart rise. He was going to be a father in a few weeks. Anna was with egg and if it was not enough for her to be with egg, there were going to be many his mother told her from the way she was carrying herself and felt. His heart began to race. He was getting over excited to think there would be so many of his children. He and Anna had already begun to discus names. Though only two names they knew they would use for certain. Anna and Loki had both agreed to name one of the males and one of the females after Amanda and Silver Claw. It was something they thought was only right after the time they had spent together with the two and the grief Loki had caused.

Suddenly, Loki froze in place. An odd sound was in the air but one he recognized. The engine of the flying machine Amanda called a helicopter. It was coming from the direction where Silver Claw and Amanda were heading or at least that is where he thought it was coming from. It was however hard to tell from the way the valleys and mountains channeled sounds differently depending on where they originated and where the one listening heard them. He became increasingly worried. After what had happened to Amanda back in the cave with those men that had tried to rape her, it did not seem safe for her to be near humans. His mind was debating with itself whether or not to go and help but he was conflicted because of his pack, they needed him and he them not to mention he could not risk Anna's safety.

He closed his eyes and turned away. He started slow but it quickly grew into a run as he made for the nests. It would take him a little over a day from where he was but more than likely he would catch the hunting group before then. He could not leave the pack but perhaps he could talk a few to journey and see if Silver Claw and Amanda were in any danger and to welcome them back to the pack if they so wanted and his father allowed it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda held her breath as she stared though a tiny gap in the bush. Her heart raced. The creature was standing still and did not seem to be in any hurry to move. Its nostrils flared as it sniffed the air in heavy, deep breaths. She hated those larger carnivores, they always seemed to show up when they were least wanted. Amanda's nerves were at their breaking point as the creature looked directly at her though it did not see her. Tom seemed more terrified than she, his entire body was shaking and he was drenched in sweat. His lips moved as if to speak but Amanda quickly cover his mouth.

Minutes passed as Amanda remained crouched within the confines of the bush. Tom had luckily kneeled on the ground but Amanda's legs were beginning to burn and itch uncontrollably. It would not belong before they either fell asleep or gave out on her and with a dense leave litter covering the ground, neither was good. She tried to drive her attention elsewhere but it would not stay, it kept coming back to her legs and each time they seemed to get worse. At last her legs gave out and her knees hit the ground with a crack. The creature did not look at her but elsewhere, the other direction. Footsteps could be heard and then the distinctive call of the pachycephalosaurus. The metriacanthosaurus lifted its head and sniffed the air almost excitedly with its teeth in full view. It made a low growl and dashed off in the direction of the pachycephalosaurus. Some time passed and the footsteps disappeared but not before the chase had begun with several loud yelps and barks.

Amanda sighed and sank back against the tree the bush had grown at the base of. Her breathing was somewhat irregular and her heart rate quick but at least they were alright. She looked to Tom but he was shaking and still unmoved. If the creature had found them, it may have been disaster for him. Amanda touched his shoulder and he jumped. He looked into her eyes with an expression ghostly pale with fear ridden eyes. He wanted to speak but couldn't. Amanda tried to comfort him but he could not stop shaking, it seemed that he had been paralyzed with fear like something out of a bad dream and though Amanda had brought him out of it, he still was under its spell.

"Tom, speak to me. What's wrong?" Amanda said almost pleading. She took his hand. It was cold and clammy with slight twitches among his fingers. He could not break the fear. His eyes seemed like they were attentive, darting back and forth but in his mind a scene of horror and desolation kept replaying itself again and again. Then suddenly, he blurted out an inaudible name. "T-Tom, what are you saying?"

"Jessica, we have to help her! Someone help me!" Tom shouted aloud. "She's going to die. No! Don't let go Jessica! I'll save you!" Tom reached out into space grasping for something but he never could get hold of it. Suddenly he screamed out. "No….!" With that he fell to the ground and brought himself into a ball and began sobbing uncontrollably. His breathing was heavy and irregular, every so often he would wheeze as if he were being deprived of oxygen. His body trembled erratically and Amanda feared of what could have caused him to do so.

Amanda had to stop him but she knew not how to. An idea came to mind but she didn't like it. She managed to press her knee on him and break him of his ball. She raised her hand a slapped him across the face with a loud _thwack_. For a moment he seemed to break from his state of fear and semi-coherence but it did not last. He gasped Amanda tightly in his arms shouting things that she could not make sense of. But at last she heard something she knew. "Why didn't you help?" He tightened his grip and it felt like he was squeezing the life out of her.

"Tom!" Amanda shouted and tried pushing away but she was held too tightly and she was too weak to break free. "Tom," Amanda wheezed slightly. "Tom, it is Amanda. You're ok!" She struggled as much as she could to no success and at last realized there was no other way. She dug her nails into the base of his neck and pressed almost as hard as she could and broke the skin in places. He yelped and eased his grip enough for her to break free. Amanda collapsed next to him in a slight daze. Her breathing was just as heavy as his but at last she managed to look over. Tom was no longer shaking. "Tom?"

"Jessica died by that creature," Tom said. His gaze was straight up and his voice sounded as if her were lost in some far off corner of his mind and almost oblivious to all else. "A few others survived the attack and as we made our way to the building, we were attacked. Most found shelter in the trees but she didn't. The others were only worried about saving their own skins and ignored her as they passed by her. And by the time I reached her it was too late. She was pulled from the tree and ripped apart before my very eyes. I can hear her screaming. Oh god! She was pleading for help but I wasn't fast enough. Then I took out my anger on someone for not helping and he fell from the tree and joined her in death. It's my fault their dead, all of them." Tom looked at Amanda finally with tear streaked cheeks and reddened eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"Tom," Amanda said in tears and crawled to his side. She lifted his in her arms and gently kissed him on the forehead. "I'm sorry to." Together they sat, quiet and still. Not even a breeze, wind or gust disturbed them. An hour passed as they sat in complete silence. Amanda began to hum the tune Silver Claw would repeat whenever he was trying to help Amanda though a bad time. It seemed to calm Tom to the point that he sat up by himself but he was still in tears. Amanda wrapped her arms around him and touched her forehead to his and she spoke softly. "What happened was not your fault Tom. You did everything you could to save those people but there was nothing that could be done. It's not your fault."

Tom remained quiet for a moment but at length spoke, "I don't know what to do. I have to go home but what about those who didn't make it? They have families too, what about them? Is it fair that I should be the lone survivor where so many died, cursed by their screams and haunted by their deaths for the rest of my life? No matter what I do, I will never be rid of their voices. So many died," Tom pulled away and stared into Amanda's grief ridden eyes. "What should I do?"

"Never forget them." Amanda said softly. "You will never forgive yourself for something that you didn't do but you will however be able to comfort those who lost someone. Live your life in their memory and do not forget that you survived by yourself for so long and now you may have a chance to go home, back to your family." With that Amanda hugged him tightly and began to weep.

Tom was slow to break the embrace but when he did, he held Amanda by the shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. He gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and slowly began to pull her close. Their eyes locked in an unbreakable bond, neither could look away and least of all stop what they were about to do. Tom's breath washed over Amanda's lips. They were so close to touching that the heat given off was intoxicating and edged them closer. Their scents mingled in a mess of hormones that acted as an invisible vice bringing them even closer until only a hairs width separated their touching.

A crack snapped them from their lock and forced their attention to the outer edge of the bush rather than each other. A loud sniffing came from just the other side of the leafy wall. What ever it was, it had found them. Amanda and Tom prepared to run when the head burst through. It was not reptilian or from a bird but a mammal, more precisely a golden retriever. Amanda was dumbfounded, how could a dog be on Isla Sorna? And just then the dog leapt forward and began licking Amanda's face profusely as its tail wagged with out end. She then noticed the tag. It was not any dog. It was hers, but how?

"Amanda!" A voice called out that caused Amanda's heart to jump. It was her father, he had come for her. She grabbed Tom and covered his mouth before he could speak. She explained her situation to him as quickly as she could and release him. She also asked him to be silent until she could know who else may be with him and if they were in any danger if she should be found. Tom had, however reluctantly, agreed though it pained him to stay any longer than he had to. "Fluffy!"

Amanda's eyes widened as her dog began to bark bringing her father closer. She couldn't let him find her. She looked at Tom, "Keep him busy but don't let them know I'm here." She pushed Tom out of hiding and Fluffy followed thinking Amanda was going as well. Amanda turned her head as the dog's wagging tail hit her several times as he passed by. Amanda was upset however that she could not spend time with her beloved pet and friend. It had been so long since she had last seen him but never had she forgotten him.

Tom stood nervously petting Fluffy as heavy footsteps grew steadily closer. Large shapes appeared in the fog and Tom nearly lost his nerve but then they became clear. There were four men in total. Two of them head large packs while two others were carrying rifles, one of which he recognized as Amanda's Father. The men stopped a few meters ahead of Tom. Amanda's father stood dumbfounded. "Tom?"

"Who's this," said the man standing next to Mr. Glendale. He was an average height for a man with a muscular build. Atop his head sat a woven hat with dark brown hair poking out from beneath it and shades hid his eyes. He wore a dark green vest and tan shorts. Tom felt his fear return in an icy wave at his cruel gaze that made him want to curl up and hide somewhere far away. Amanda's father explained who he was quickly and looked at him. "Tom, have you seen Amanda? Have you seen my daughter?"

"Uh…" Tom mumbled something inaudible and then spoke. "I don't think so but I've been here so long that my minds a mess. So many people died, I didn't know that she survived the attack. Please get me off this island, I beg you. Let's go now and not return." Tom glanced at the bush as inconspicuously as he could but it did not escape notice of the man next to Mr. Glendale.

"What's in their boy," the man said, his voice was cold and unnerving. He aimed the rifle at the bush and placed his finger on the trigger. "Well?" Tom glanced nervously back at the bush and then at Mr. Glendale. He blurted out suddenly that it was Amanda and that she asked him not to tell. Amanda's father nearly fell over as he jumped into the bush but stood up after a moment and looked around. "She's not here."

Tom looked around but could not figure out where she had gone. Just then he realized that Fluffy was gone as well. A debate filled him on whether to call for him or not because it would surely be Amanda's undoing and that was something he did not want to do. Instead he pointed in the opposite direction he thought she would have left in. "I think she went that way." But his misguidance was quickly thwarted as Fluffy barked loudly a short distance away and the group began a quick run in the direction. Tom was alone for a moment but then remembering the danger that lurked nearby always, he ran to catch up. The helicopter would have to wait.

It was not long before they found Amanda wrestling with Fluffy to calm him. He was pulling away and barking profusely and had his tail between his legs. Something had scared him badly for he was not a brave dog and was often found hiding under the bed at the sound of a car backfiring or someone shutting a door to hard. Amanda voice could not quiet him and at last he broke free of her grip and hid behind Mr. Glendale. Amanda stood looking at her father with deepening despair. She was not in the best condition for her to be seen by him and her arms still had their bandages as well as her leg. She wanted to go to him but held back for fear she never would escape his grasp and be dragged off the island.

"Amanda!" Her father shouted and ran to her. He pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tightly. "What has happened to you? Why did you leave, no boy is worth your life and being away from you family. I should lock you away so I never loose you. I don't want you to end up like your poor mother." He released her from his grip but took her by the shoulders looked into her eyes and smiled, something he had not done since the day he found she was alive. "Don't worry, you'll be home soon enough and I guess you can bring that boy you like as long as he isn't a troublemaker."

Amanda pulled free. "No, I'm not leaving dad." She realized how she had said it in raptor and quickly repeated it so he could understand. "This place is my home now and I don't want to leave no matter how dangerous it is." She was grabbed by him and held tightly. He spoke with a shaken voice. "Again with those feral sounds, I don't know what it is you've done here with him but something is wrong with your head and when we get home, you're going to a psychiatrist. They'll set you straight." His voice had changed drastically to become somewhat enraged with her.

"No!" Amanda said in raptor and managed to break free. A hiss came from the bushes behind her and in an instant, guns were raised at it but Amanda stood in the way. "I will not let you hurt him!" Amanda's father cracked his knuckles and walked towards the bush. "I'll teach this boy a lesson he won't soon forget." Amanda stepped in his way however and was quiet. He tried to get past but she would not allow it. "Move Amanda, I will not let you be the bride of some poor jungle boy. You're going to come home and find someone normal, now move."

Amanda planted herself in place. But she figured he'd eventually get around her so she thought of a solution. "Drop you gun and I'll introduce you as long as you promise not to hurt him. But I told him not to show himself as long as he was near people with weapons. There is a small glade nearby he told me and we can go there and speak alone. Please dad, if you want to know why I can't leave and why I love him so dearly you'll do this." Mr. Glendale was obviously softened by his daughter's pleas and so tossed the rifle to Tom and looked back to Amanda. She took his hand and led him out of sight.


	40. A Not So Happy Reunion

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 40: A Not So Happy Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: After careful consideration, I've decided to take the suggestion of _Genome Soldier_ and add a Raptor from the third pack that inhabits Isla Sorna. Please Review.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The jungle was silent save the gentle crash of waves in the distance. Not an insect stirred as the predator passed by. It was a velociraptor and she was alone. She had been exiled from her pack for arguing how they treated the human lover shortly after he left and so she could not return to her home under the penalty of death. Her name was Kari. She was only a year and a half old with very little experience in hunting and other knowledge used by adults to survive which made her exile all the worse. From head to tail, Kari was an impressive four and a half meters long which by their pack standards was large amongst 'infants her age' as the others would often tell her but small yet when compared to the others raptor species. Her eyes were bright green and were set under a small, almost indistinguishable crest. And like the other females of her pack, her scales were brown in color and only distorted by the many scars earned when fighting off the males whenever they would try to force themselves on her.

It was somewhat more calming to be alone than in the chaos of the pack she left behind. She left nothing she cared about, there were no males she liked and she didn't have much of a family anyway. Kari inhaled deeply, taking all the scents that she could of this strange territory. She felt somewhat exhilarated by the fact she could do as she pleased now. There was no rules that she had to follow, no nests to tend to, no nothing! "I'm free at last" she thought. She continued to walk quietly though the jungle, she didn't know where she would end up but she'd know her new home when she found it, preferably somewhere where she could hunt in peace and lay around in the sun most of the day without the constant threat of attack from predators and others of her own species.

A strange scent lay in the air that aroused her curiosity. All her life she had been confined to the field where the adults would drive prey into and she had only once been in the jungle outside it, even then it was only a few dozen meters in before she was called back when the others noticed her absence. She decided to check it out. It was something new; it was sweet like the fragrance of some plants but yet not, it seemed stronger. She could hear rushing water ahead and it seemed to be where the smell was emanating from. Curiosity switched to caution as Kari approached. She crouched and peered through the dense brush. What she saw stunned her.

Across a small stream, kneeling in the mud was a human, a female by what she learned from the stories. She had her head ducked down and seemed to be grooming her hair but there was a bubbling substance in it. Kari didn't know what to think of it. She was an oblivious target to any hunter and that stuff she had in her hair would attract carnivores from kilometers around if it were the source of the smell. Was she that unskilled in survival? What did humans do about predators where they came from? Kari's head tilted to the left and she wondered how old she was. She couldn't tell as she had never seen a human before this and didn't want to disturb her, at least not yet to see if she could understand raptor like that human lover's mate did.

The human seemed finished as she got up and looked around. She reached in her pocket and pulled something out. Kari sniffed the air, it was food. The human had food with her and she proceeded to peel the wrapping from it and then take a bite, it was crunchy by the sounds but she spit it out and threw the remainder to the ground with a sigh. Kari froze, her stomach had growl and it was loud enough that the human heard it too but seemed to think it was herself. It had been a few days since she had eaten and this human presented an easy target but she held back. When she left the pack, she had sworn to herself she was not like the others, ruthless killers and merciless hunters that killed more for the pleasure than their own survival. Her hunger would have to wait. She would only kill it if she had no other choice, at least for now.

The human picked up some kind of container from the bank and turned away unaware of the predator lurking nearby. When she though enough time passed, Kari leapt over the stream and quietly followed the human into the jungle. How oblivious was this human, the wind was carrying Kari's scent right to her but yet she did not know. Kari couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief. Not only was she terrible in survival traits but it appeared she had no natural defenses and ways to protect herself besides her legs to run but Kari doubted they would carry her fast enough because they looked too small to have much muscle.

Kari caught wind of another scent, a carnivore was lurking nearby. She looked from side to side but couldn't see beyond the dense brush. She suddenly wished she were in the field, it was easy to see the distant movements of any creature because no matter what they did, the grass would move. A scream made her jump, it was the human and she was in trouble. Kari raced forward and stopped. The human was swinging her arms to keep what she assumed was an ornitholestes at bay. The human had been injured in her left arm but it was not serious from the little blood that was seeping out. The human screamed again.

Kari let out a loud roar and leapt forward. The ornitholestes had no chance of escape as the scythe-like claws buried into the gut and made several massive bleeding wounds. In a last-ditch effort to stop its attacker, the ornitholestes gave a kick and managed to hit the velociraptor square in the chest, leaving a small bleeding wound of its own before it died. Kari stood victorious over her kill and looked at the human. She was motionless and paralyzed with fear. Kari turned back to her kill and tore a sizable chunk from it and tossed her head back swallowing it. She took several more mouth full's and turned her attention back to the human. She was still unmoved but her eyes had widened more.

Showing her bloodied teeth, Kari lowered her head to meet the face of the girl. She could smell the human's fear but made no threatening move towards her. Why did she fear her? Kari asked herself. She had done nothing but save its life. Kari remembered the food the human left behind, perhaps it had gone bad. If so she might be hungry. Kari turned around and quickly tore a chunk off before laying it in front of the human. Perhaps humans were different from what she had heard. Kari nudged it forward but still the human did not want to move.

Maybe she was dead? Kari nudged the human and she stirred but only to press herself against the tree behind her more. "It's ok," Kari spoke softly but that seemed to scare the human more. How could the human lover have gained his human's trust? Maybe it was a male and female thing. Kari looked at the wound and gently nudged the skin under it. The human quickly grasp the arm and cover the wound with her hand. Well she was getting somewhere at least. Kari laid herself on the leaves and continued to stare at the human. For now, her curiosity of new things had the best of her and it would be some time before the smell of a kill drifted far enough to attract other carnivores so when that time came she did not know if there would be just one carcass or two.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda quietly led her father to the clearing that Silver Claw had told her about. It was a small glade with little grass but enough brush surrounding it that something could easily hide without detection for a very long time. She took him to the center and stopped. She looked at her father and him at her. "Well, where is your boyfriend?"

Amanda gulped. "He's my mate and I don't want you to think there is anything wrong with my choice in who I love, but dad you probably won't understand why unless you come to know him like I do. You must understand that I love him more than life itself and separating us would be like killing us. I never want to be away from him, do you understand?"

Mr. Glendale sighed. "Amanda there will always be other boys. What you feel for him now is what you think love is but it really isn't. You're a teenager and I'm guessing, well hoping so is he, you're just confused by hormones. It happens to everyone when their young. Now could you stop your stalling and get him to come out already." Amanda had her father close his eyes and she waved Silver Claw in. He stopped only two meters from Amanda's father. Silver Claw was nearly the same height as he but not quite. "What's that smell," Mr. Glendale asked. "Please don't say that's him. It smells like rotting meat and…, anyway, it's something terrible."

"Alright you can open them but don't scream or call for help." Amanda said. She watched as her father opened his eyes but he was looking at her first. His gaze turned to Silver Claw and he froze with his jaw hanging open slightly. Amanda looked between her father and Silver Claw but it was Silver Claw who moved first. He gently touched his head to Mr. Glendale's arm. A second passed and then his body dropped to the ground limp. Silver Claw looked at Amanda with apologetic eyes but she only shook her head. "Don't worry Silver Claw, he only passed out I think." She reached down and touched two fingers to the side of his neck to make sure he had not had a heart attack. "Yeah, you gave him too much a startle. He'll be alright in a moment."

Silver Claw cocked his head in confusion. "Why did he do that?" Amanda sighed and placed her hand on his side. She gently rubbed his scales and then answered, "I once bought a six thousand dollar television for my room when I four after getting hold of his credit card and pin number. When the delivery people showed up the next day," Amanda chuckled slightly, "He got such a shock that he passed out. I used to do things like that all the time when I was younger just to make him pass out because I thought it was funny. Then I went too far and put a snake in his bed and woke him up. Unfortunately he was in the hospital for about a week." Amanda sighed and knelt by her father.

"You don't look at all like you father," Silver Claw said softly. "I don't mean that as an insult or anything." Amanda laughed and gently rubbed his neck. She couldn't agree more with him. All her life among humans, she had always been told she looked like her mother rather than her father. And now it was amongst raptors that she was told she looked nothing like her father. Either way, she still loved him as much as she did her mother and hoped nothing would happen to him.

Mr. Glendale stirred slightly but did not open his eyes. He groaned and rubbed his head. "Amanda, please say I was imagining that creature?" She chose to remain silent but wrapped her arm around Silver Claw. "Amanda?" Mr. Glendale opened his eyes and backed away as quickly as he could before leaping to his feet and it seemed as if he would dash at any moment. "Amanda, get away from that beast before it kills you like they did you mother!"

Amanda wrapped her arms around Silver Claw even tighter. "No dad, he's not like other creatures. I love him and he loves me. He's my mate and…" Amanda was unable to finish as her father began to freak out in an inaudible slur of words and phrases that Amanda thought should never be uttered by anyone. She attempted to calm him but only received an angry attack of words that angered Silver Claw to the point that he raised his feathers. He wanted to growl and to hiss at him as the words got increasingly worse and at last he cold hold back no longer. He broke free from Amanda's grip and leapt on him, pinning him easily to the ground before showing his teeth only millimeters from his face. "See I told you, I told you it couldn't be trusted!"

"Silver Claw!" Amanda shouted and grabbed his side. She tried desperately to pull him off but he refused to budge more than a few centimeters. He made a low, very threatening growl and then looked at Amanda with saddened eyes. "I'm sorry but I couldn't listen to him insult you like he was. It made me angry to hear you treated that way and I'm not getting off him until he has apologized to you." Silver Claw showed his teeth again and looked at Amanda's father with increasing hatred. No one should speak to their child that way no even if they disapprove of their actions.

Amanda sighed and looked at her father. "He said he's not going to get off of you until he hears you apologize to me for those mean things you said. See dad, what husband wouldn't want that for his wife." Amanda crossed her arms and looked down at him. She had to take a side and after what her father had said, there was no way should was siding with him on this. At last he said it though not in the kindest of ways and Silver Claw released him although reluctantly. Amanda stood by Silver Claw's side as Mr. Glendale stood up and brushed his cloths off and shook his head but it was not long before he was back at it.

"How can you love an animal like this?" His voice was filled his anger and disgust towards Silver Claw and Amanda. "You must have hit your head or something because you aren't thinking straight Amanda. How could you think that this is right, not in a million years would it be acceptable? An animal isn't human; you know what people think of people like you who chose animal partners over human ones. They're shunned in society, sent to jail or worse. What do you think people will say about me when they find out my daughter is an animal lover and not in the way PETA is? Humph. You should be ashamed and disgusted of yourself!" Silver Claw hissed at him again. "See what I mean, he's a bloody animal with no feeling or thoughts other than to hunt and kill. One of these days he'll kill you and not think twice about it. The way I see it is that he's no better than the one that killed your mother. You might as well have died in that attack because you sure as hell aren't my daughter, not any more!" Mr. Glendale crossed his arms and stared cruelly at her.

Amanda burst into tears and went running off into the jungle. Silver Claw lingered for a moment with his eyes locked on Mr. Glendale. How could her father be so cruel? And how could he not accept she was in love with something other than human? Silver Claw gave a final hiss and raced off to catch up with Amanda. He found her a few dozen meters away from the glade where she had dropped to the ground and was crying uncontrollably. Silver Claw set down next to her and gently touched his snout to her cheek. She wrapped her arms around him and would not let go. Her face was red and wet with tears. He began to hum the most cheering tone he knew but it did not help.

Silver Claw began to feel worse and worse. There was nothing he could do to cheer her up or at least calm her down. How could someone be so cruel to her and say such a thing. There was only one thing worse than exile amongst raptors and that was having a parent say they no longer loved you and there was no way to ever take it back once said so forever, that pain would linger over the raptor. Often it would bring about a fight to the death between the parent and child because it was considered the ultimate insult. Mr. Glendale was lucky he wasn't killed right there for his unfathomable cruelty. Silver Claw pressed his body against hers and pulled her head so that it lay on one of his arms while his neck rested on top of it. He placed his free hand on her side and gently curled his claws until they pressed against her skin. From now on, he would shelter her from the cruelty of humans and make sure they would not harm her again. If they did, they would suffer his wrath no matter who they were! With a low growl he covered Amanda's legs with his tails and closed his eyes.

Minutes passed and Amanda at last began to calm although her flood of tears did not cease. Silver Claw became aware of a scent in the air. It was of a predator. He looked up without making it seem something was wrong. He looked in the surrounding area and then he heard the light footsteps as something approached. The bushes to his right rustled and out of them stepped Sophia, Tessa and Zenith. They stopped and looked at Silver Claw in confusion but at last Sophia stepped forward.

"What happened?" Sophia asked softly. She looked over Silver Claw to see that he was hiding Amanda. No matter how angry she was with Amanda, it was still something she had to put aside and care for both Silver Claw and Amanda if they were going to be a pack. Silver Claw turned his head and slowly began to explain all that had transpired when he met Amanda's father and then at last he told them of the words her father had said. Sophia and Tessa hissed angrily. "I will end his life now," Sophia hissed angrily, "Where is he?"

"Going I hope," Silver Claw replied. "There are several armed men back there and Tom is with them. I wouldn't want to go any where near them especially now." Silver Claw tilted his head down and began to lick Amanda's cheek gently. He feels Amanda shift and bury her head against his neck. "It's alright Amanda," Silver Claw spoke as softly as he could. "I won't let him hurt you again."

"I think we should get going," Tessa spoke, during the time Silver Claw was explaining what had happened she had noticed voices getting closer. The humans were coming and by the sounds of it, they were going to kill any creature they found. "Those humans are coming this way and I think it would be best if they didn't find us." Sophia and Zenith agreed but Silver Claw was silent.

Silver Claw looked at Amanda. He was too weak to carry her. He did not yet have the strength to lift her more than a few meters before he collapsed. It was amazing enough that he managed to get out of the building and come all this way. If he had the strength he would carry but he looked at the others with saddened eyes. "I can't carry her." Silver Claw looked down with shame. "I'm still too weak to be able to."

"I'll carry her," Sophia said reluctantly. "Zenith needs to keep pressure off his foot and Tessa can protect us if something should attack. Sophia walked over to Silver Claw and lay next to Amanda. "Just help her on my back and then we can go." Silver Claw nodded and was heartened by the fact after all that happened Sophia was still a good friend. Amanda reluctantly released Silver Claw and by her own strength climbed onto Sophia. Soon they were off. Silver Claw stuck close to Sophia with Tessa in back and Zenith leading. They passed the building and continued on. There were some caves to the north that Tessa knew about that did not connect to the main system that would allow other greens to attack them. They would stay there since Tom would more than likely tell of the building if they did not already know.

Amanda tightened her grip around Sophia as she began to slip to one side. She had her head against the base of Sophia's neck. And despite the tears she managed to say, "Thank you." Sophia felt her anger disappear at those words. She had no reason to be mad at her, she was ill and only asked for something she needed to live. Amanda would have done that same if they were in opposite positions. "You're welcome."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ellie grumbled as she dragged a small dinghy ashore. It was heavy enough without the equipment aboard it and she was alone. The fog was still heavy in the air even though it was about seven in the morning and the boat she had taken out to Sorna was out of sight. She was told it would take her right to the island, not stop a mile and a half away so she could paddle the rest of the way with an atrocious current to deal with. With one final heave, she had the boat as far on shore as she could pull it. She looked picked up a backpack and sighed as she looked at something covered by a tarp. She never was told what it was but it was heavy enough to weigh down the front.

First things first, she thought and opened the backpack and retrieved her gun. She checked to make sure it was not wet and then holstered it. She pulled out a strange gun-like device that they had 'borrowed' from Biosyn. It was one of there new devices made for their little trip but they would have to go without. It made a high pitched frequency that was particularly harmful to the ears of dinosaurs and other creatures much like a dog whistle but with a much louder sound and audible to humans. She plugged it in and tried it. It was a terrible sound that gave her a headache to compliment her growing cramps from pulling the dinghy. If the thing under the tarp was as large as it looked and heavy, it would stay behind. She pulled back the tarp and gasped.

Beneath the tarp was a motorcycle but not like any she had ever seen. It was a specially built one for traversing jungle terrain and even jagged rocks. On a straight away, it could for surely outrun any dinosaur and best of all it was surprisingly light as she dragged it out from the boat. She looked in a small compartment in the back and found a solar panel. It could be run by battery or gas. She hopped on and started it by means of a button. There were no keys to loose so she would have no troubles save it being stolen by someone in the helicopter she saw pass by earlier. Ellie fumbled with her backpack until she had it right and then road off down the beach. She loved that fact it was completely silent.

The salty air rushed by her as she traveled down the beach. She glanced down and noted a small screen with what appeared to be a GPS with a map of the island, its many roads and streams as well as the buildings. It was much more detailed than the one Amanda had found. Amanda, she thought. What would her reaction be once she found her? And Silver Claw would be nice to see again though she had forgotten much of his language. She hoped Amanda had not forgotten English.

A game trail presented itself as one of a few ways into the jungle without the constant worry of trees as long as she went slowly. She turned off and followed the trail. At this rate, she would be at the road in a few minutes and then she could head north. The helicopter had gone that way and her primary mission was to stop Biosyn at all costs. If they got hold of even one dinosaur, they could clone hundred and more than likely they would get loose amongst the public. She wished the cure was finished, though it was far from it. It would spread amongst the dinosaurs even if they weren't killed or eaten. A single bite would have been enough and then that would spread like wildfire. That would have made them escaping far less serious at least if they were herbivores.

Ellie rounded a corner and mud sprayed all around her and covered her up to her knees. She grumbled again. This is not how she remembered Sorna. She was not covered in mud and tired beyond belief because of a boat she had to drag ashore. Then she realized it. She did not tie it down. It was going to drift away on her. Crap she thought but did not turn back. She had a phone and the GPS was more than likely being tracked back at the main operations. A few minutes passed before she was free of the jungle and looking at a massive cliff face towering over her. She gulped and looked both ways down the road. She had to go north. Last time Amanda was seen was at the other side of the ravine and she was heading this way but that was over a week ago. She assumed that Amanda had followed the road to the building. That is where she would be the safest.

A low growl caught her attention and she looked to her left towards the ravine where three raptors stood about a hundred meters away with their claws prepared to kill. Two of them were green while the other was a combination of red, yellow and green. Ellie's heart jumped. She prepared to put the motorcycle in full and escape down the road but hesitated. She called out to them first in what little of raptor she remembered, "Are you friends?"

The raptors hissed and charged her. "I guess not," Ellie put the bike in full and sped down the road. At first they were gaining on her but then they fell back. She sighed with relief and looked ahead where a fence had been, the tattered remnants lay scattered abroad. She had to slow and then stop before it. She didn't know if the fence was still working or not but the raptors were still in hot pursuit, unwilling to miss a chance to kill a human. They may have fallen behind her some ways but they gaining ground as she had could not go further yet. Ellie didn't hear anything and so slowly wheeled the bike over the wires. It wasn't on but she still had to be careful of sharp edges that would puncture the bike if she were not careful. Rocks were different, they couldn't puncture the special wheels but blade like steel could.

Ellie at last made it over but they were too close. The bike could not get away before they were upon her. She drew her gun and aimed at the lead one. She fired. The bullet hit its mark and the lead green smashed into the ground, tumbling a bit and then coming to rest on its side, a bleeding wound over his heart. She tried firing again but the gun jammed. Ellie was nearly paralyzed with fear at that moment. She then realized she had one more trick. She pulled out the gun shaped sound device and squeezed the trigger. The sound hit the raptors like a brick wall and they jumped back, screeching and shaking their heads. Ellie laughed and hopped on her bike again. She slowly drove far enough ahead and then quickly put away the gun and sped off.

The raptors fell too far behind for her to see and she sighed. She did not however ease up on the speed. She found herself turning several large corners as she gained in altitude. She smiled as the wind tossed her hair and she felt free. The smell of the jungle filled her with joy. This is the Sorna she remembered she thought gleefully. A half hour passed and she came upon an overturned truck with shattered windows and stuff lying about. The vehicle looked like it had taken a terrible pounding from something very large. She could not stop however much she wanted to. She had an idea but shook it off. Her secondary mission was to place tracking devices on Silver Claw, Amanda, and whatever else was with them so they could find them when they needed to and track territories. Ellie shook her head. She didn't know how much Amanda would be acceptant to the idea of a microchip being inserted under her skin at the back of her neck. She had some basic medical supplies to help them recover if they did choose to but more than likely they would not be used other than to treat wounds. The worse part of it all was being trained to do it with a live animal.

Ellie continued on. She rounded another corner and she could see the building through a large grove of trees but the road did not turn towards it. She had to follow the road for now but as she began to loose sight of the building, she saw the helicopter and could smell the rotting of a very large carcass. She was too late. Biosyn was in the building already. Perhaps Amanda had escaped to another building a little ways to the north that is if she made it at all. Before she could search however, Ellie had to set up a base nearby that would go unnoticed by carnivores and people alike. She remembered there being some caves by the road somewhere in the conversation on the helicopter with her boss. She just hoped they were empty.


	41. Bad Tidings

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 41: Bad Tidings

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda pulled her knees to her chest and continued to cry. They had found the cave and to her surprise the road to the building ran adjacent to the cliff in which it was housed. It was cool inside with damp walls and a cold limestone floor. Large stalagmites and stalactites rose up near the back of the cave and shimmered in an eerie glow as several holes in the ceiling allowed light to pass into the dark places. Silver Claw sat near by while Sophia and Zenith spoke to one another at the very back off the cave where none could hear them. Tessa took watch at the entrance though she seemed conflicted on whether to go and check on these humans that were searching for them or stay where she was.

"I can't believe he said that," Amanda wept. "How can you say you don't love your own daughter?" She tried wiping the tears from her face but more filled their place and then she felt Silver Claw touch her cheek with his snout. Amanda looked into his eyes and saw her own reflection and the sorrow she was in as well as that which she was causing Silver Claw. She tried to stop the onslaught of tears but they would not cease. Not since the day she was nearly raped in the cave had she felt so terribly but it was no stranger that had caused her such grief this time but her own flesh and blood, her father, which made it all the worse to bear. Never in all her life had she seen him so upset with her and her beliefs or thoughts.

"I don't know if I could ever get him to know you like I do," Amanda said to Silver Claw. "You deserve better than the way he treated you. If he knew you better, I'm sure he would accept you as a part of our family." She tilted her head so that her forehead rest against his snout and she closed her eyes. Amanda began to hum sorrowfully the tune Silver Claw would sing to her whenever she was upset. It seemed to do the trick, or at least help a bit because after a few minutes, her tears stopped and Amanda became silent.

Silver Claw didn't know what to do as she fell silent. He didn't want to say anything incase it upset her again but yet he wanted to comfort her. Slowly, Silver Claw moved closer to Amanda and let her head slide until it came to rest on his shoulder before he curled his head around and set it on her shoulder or at least the best he could. She quickly wrapped her arms around him and pulled him against her. Both could feel the others heart beating rapidly but neither could stop the pain they felt. Silver Claw exhaled deeply and began to purr deeply so that Amanda knew for sure that he was there to protect her. However, their peace was cut short as Tessa ran to them.

"There is a human coming this way," she said quickly. It is on a machine that I have not seen before but it is fast. It will be here in few moments. I suggest that we retreat to the back of the cave and wait to see if the human will just pass by." Tessa moved past Silver Claw and Amanda as they got up and followed to the back. Sophia and Zenith seemed surprised that they were interrupted but quickly hid themselves behind some several large boulders. Amanda crouched down with Silver Claw by some stalagmites but once everyone else was hidden, Tessa raced back a large boulder near the front of the cave and crouched down behind it. All became silent. A low, almost unnoticeable sound crept into the cave like that of a small motor but much quieter.

Amanda peered out from behind her hiding place and saw that Tessa was ready to pounce on what ever should move past her. She hoped Tessa wouldn't kill whoever it was, at least for now. She wanted to talk to someone in the group her father was in, though hopefully not him. The sound grew until a small motorcycle like machine slowed to a stop before the cave. Amanda squinted. Her eyes however could not distinguish whether it was male of female even. The difference in light was too great for even the raptors to see properly and the person appeared only as a silhouette surrounded by a blinding light.

The human slowly walked into the cave with a small flashlight in one hand and a handgun in the other. Amanda gulped when she heard the gun cock. The light from the flashlight created a blind spot in Amanda's vision as she tried to see who it was but a halo of light hid the human's face. She hoped that Tessa could knock the gun out of the human's hand before they got a chance to use it. The human was cautious and slow going as they moved deeper into the cave. They even checked behind every rock large enough to hide something that could be large enough to pose a threat to them.

Tessa prepared herself as the human grew within a few meters of her position. The next rock they would check was the one she was behind. The human moved to check the rock and Tessa pounced. With a loud thud, the human hit the ground and the gun slid across the ground and came to rest against the far wall. Tessa quickly pressed her killing claw against the chest of the human and hissed angrily bearing her teeth in front of the human's face. She called over the others but Silver Claw and Amanda remained hidden.

The human was panic stricken and shaking when Sophia and Zenith moved to Tessa's side. Sophia cocked her head. The human was a female about Amanda's size with violet hair. Sophia hissed and lowered her head to take in the human's scent. The human locked eyes with Sophia and seemed to light up with realization. "Friend," the human spoke in raptor. Sophia was dumbstruck. How could any other human know raptor but Amanda and why did she look at her and say it? She knew of none that lived on the island. Sophia looked back to where Amanda lay hidden. The human had spoke in raptor quiet enough that she doubted that they could hear her.

Amanda peered out from behind the rock though not enough to be noticed. "Well?" She asked quietly. Sophia told her that it was a female and then told her that she spoke 'friend' in raptor. Amanda's eyes widened and she slowly stood up. With deepening wonder and feelings of confusion, she made her way to Tessa's side. Amanda looked at the human and then nearly pushed Tessa to the ground as she leapt at the person and brought them into a hug, "Ellie!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tom walked with his gaze turned down. Mr. Glendale had come back in a rage and he said they had some creatures to kill, which Tom suspected he meant Silver Claw. No matter how uncomfortable he felt around the raptor, as long as Amanda was in love with him, Tom figured he never would want the animal dead. They really seemed to care about each other from what he had seen. Tom looked up to see the three men he knew nothing about. "Who are they Mr. Glendale?" Tom asked quietly. "And why did they bring you here?"

"They were coming here anyway so they said they would bring me," Mr. Glendale replied. "As for their names, the man who was talking to you earlier is Mr. Dodgson, the large man on the left is Cam and the tall one on the right is Ryan. I don't know what they're doing here but they came supplied with enough stuff to fight a small war. I say let them too, I hope every last creature on this island is going to die and soon."

"You know that that isn't really fair," Tom said in defense of Amanda and Silver Claw. "They have the right to live as much as you do." Tom received a glare from Mr. Glendale that chilled him to the bone. "Boy, when you've lost as much as I have to this god forsaken island, then you can come talk to me like that. I've lost my wife and my daughter. I have nothing left and if it's the last thing I do, it will be to destroy this place!"

"Quiet!" Mr. Dodgson said and raised his arm. "Where here but something is watching us." He looked around and spun to open fire on the metriacanthosaurus that had harassed Amanda and Tom earlier. The creature was quick to fall and soon it lay dead from a dozen bleeding wounds that were centered on its heart and head. It didn't even get a chance to call out. Dodgson looked at the one called Cam and gestured him to the body.

He walked slowly and cautiously towards to body. A slight twitch made him stop but he quickly started to move again. He pulled out a large case from his backpack and then opened it. Inside were numerous syringes and tube like what they used at a doctor's office to take blood but with much larger tips. He put together one of the needles and stuck it into the neck to the metriacanthosaurus. After he was done drawing the blood, he put it in a special canister and put everything away. The man then walked back and joined them.

"What was that about?" Mr. Glendale asked almost a temperamental manner. He was remained of the agreement by Mr. Dodgson about the terms of his coming with them but Mr. Glendale didn't seem to care anymore. "What are you actually doing here!?" He demanded to know and crossed his arms. He received an evil glare from Dodgson and then a rifle aimed at him.

"You really want to know why I allowed you to come with us," Dodgson said, "We have a problem with finding certain dinosaurs on this island before they find us. You and your daughter were going to be our bait for the tyrannosaurus among others. You see our goal was never to bring you back with us. We were going to use us to help in collecting blood so that we may make our own dinosaurs eventually without the risk to ourselves. My corporation will surpass what InGen." He raised his rifle and seemed as if he were going to shoot. "I have no other reason to keep you alive so if you wish I can spare you one of the more painful deaths you may receive later or not. Now are you going to be complicate or not."

Mr. Glendale was breathing heavily when he said, "I hope you get killed you backstabbing jackass!" With that, Mr. Glendale made a run for it. He took off into the jungle with Tom running to catch up after a moment of hesitation. Several shot rang out and Mr. Glendale howled in pain but kept running. Dodgson stopped the others before they could pursue saying, "Let the jungle have them! I'm sure he'll attract something soon enough."

Mr. Glendale ran as fast as he could with a slight limp and clutching his right arm near the shoulder. Behind him, Tom was still running a steady pace without injury. Tom looked around with worry that another shot may hit him but none came as they got further and further away from Dodgson and the others. At last it seemed Mr. Glendale could run no more and he dropped to the ground. Tom stood looking over him. A large trail of blood was running from under his hand and he seemed to be in a great deal of pain but it was not life threatening at least.

"Are you alright?" Tom asked attentively but he got his answer nearly yelled at him as Mr. Glendale said, "Of course not!" Tom didn't know what to do, the first aid classes were never offered in school and he had no knowledge of how to treat wounds like his. Instead, Tom looked around them for any danger for he knew it was never far in this jungle. They were in a small clearing surrounded by large trees and thick brush. The perfect place to be attacked, Tom thought to himself uneasily. He looked at Mr. Glendale and told him they should get moving before something found them.

"Ah…" Mr. Glendale groaned and stood up. This was one thing that he would not disagree with. He looked around but he figured that his leg would not carry him far before it gave out. "Let's just get in a tree for now." With that he moved to the nearest tree that seemed to have enough spots to allow for easy climbing and started his accent to the highest point he could. Tom quickly passed him and helped him as he started to grow weaker. At last they reached a point in the tree where they could go no higher and Mr. Glendale sat with his back against the tree panting heavily.

In the clearing bellow, Tom spotted some movement. Out of the bushes stepped a small creature that resembled the raptors but smaller with a crest on its snout and but not claws like theirs. It sniffed the ground where some of the blood had trickled onto and then looked up. It gave a harsh barking growl and started to circle. Mr. Glendale looked down for a moment and then the world turned black as he saw no more.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda hugged Ellie as tightly as she could. She didn't care that it was putting pressure on the wounds on her arms from the glass and causing her some pain. It was Ellie! She had come back and now they would to talk to each other again. Amanda squeezed even tighter. Ellie laughed and hugged Amanda back although she was surprised to see Amanda on her first day back to Isla Sorna. At last Amanda was the one who broke the hug but grasped Ellie's shoulders with a smile on her face.

"Hi Amanda," Ellie said. "Long time no see." Amanda laughed. "I don't know where to begin asking questions right now. It's so good to see you." Ellie looked at the three raptors she didn't know and they stared back at her. She felt a little uneasy around them though a first she thought the female was Sunayana but soon realized that was not the case as she had much different makings on her scale than Sunayana did. "I think I know where I'll start though. Who are they?" She pointed to the raptors.

"Oh, they're my other friends. The green one is Zenith and the one next to him is Sophia and next to her is Zenith's mother Tessa." Amanda said. "I just met Tessa and Zenith recently. And Sophia after an unpleasant reunion with Silver Claw after he thought I was dead. Loki was with us at that time but he went home some time ago. I've had a little bit of an incident though with a tyrannosaurus, that's why there are bandages on my arms and legs as well as my chest."

"I'll asked you about some of that some time later but are you sure that they are totally trustworthy. I mean remember Tyrannous and what he did, or tried to do." Tessa seemed to perk up at the mention of Tyrannous and listened more intently. "He did try to kill us several times and you shot him which made it all the worse." Tessa's lip twitched at the mention that Amanda had shot Tyrannous.

"Yeah I know but I believe Tessa and Zenith are friendly enough, well Zenith is more than any raptor I've know," Amanda sighed and leaned back using her arms for support. "Last Silver Claw heard of Tyrannous, he was surrounded by a pack of the browns because he did something that I can't recall right now. I hope he's dead." Tessa snarled causing everyone to look at her.

"You shouldn't wish death on anyone Amanda," Tessa said angrily. "Not even your enemy. You should only kill to survive and nothing more." She stared at Amanda and Amanda quickly looked away under her gaze. "I hope on the other hand that he was not dead."

"What," Silver Claw snarled. "He killed my parents and my siblings and several other members of my old pack. He deserves death for what he did to all I knew. If I could, I would kill him right now!" Silver Claw jumped back as Tessa roared at him angrily and showed her teeth in a rage surpassing his of humans when he thought Amanda was dead. She raised her claws and made herself look even large than she was. None of the raptors compared to her in strength and she knew it. She found it hard to restrain herself from attacking him but some how managed.

"What wrong with you," Amanda asked and backed away from Tessa slowly. Ellie moved towards where her gun had landed. Tessa stared at Silver Claw and he was forced to look away under her gaze like Amanda. Tessa relaxed slightly and looked at Zenith to see him in as much confusion as everyone else. Even Sophia had backed away.

"You wouldn't understand," Tessa said in a soft, saddened tone as if recollecting on something that happened long ago. She looked at the others to see them still staring at her in fear and confusion still. "Just don't insult Alex around me again."

"Alex?" Amanda asked in puzzlement. "We were talking about Tyrannous. Where did Alex come from, who is he?" Amanda got a cold glare from Tessa. She was quiet for a while, while looking at Amanda and then she spoke at length with a deep tone of saddened memories and long lost times.

"Tyrannous and Alex are the same. Alex was his human name before we escaped from the cages. He hated humans for keeping us separate and then he thought they had shot and killed me one time when I did escape to see him, that infuriated him even more. His hatred of your kind Silver Claw comes from the time he escaped and ended up in the wrong cage with your kind after they moved me to another area in hopes that he would stop trying to escape to see and that he would not find me again. They attacked him and he nearly died because of it. Before then he was kind to all others, even humans some of the time but then he could not be happy around any of them, not even his own kind, save me." Tessa sighed deeply and the continued. "I loved him very much and I wish that he were here so we could be together again. I… was his mate, though I don't know if we still are together or not. It was so long ago that he may have forgotten me or even think I'm dead. We loved each other much like or maybe even more than you, Amanda and Silver Claw. Together we had Zenith, our child."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kari walked quietly behind the human. She had decided to let the human to live and that she would follow the human around for the time being. The human seemed to know that Kari was not interested in killing her but yet was uneasy. They had been walking for about a half hour and Kari was wondering where the human lived to be walking so far without a way to defend herself against attack. The jungle was calm and it seemed no large predators were in the area to the relief of both Kari and this human.

Kari continued to take in the strange scents of this place but one nagged at her, it was the human scent. It was so much different from everything else in the jungle. And it seemed to have to do with that stuff she had in her hair. The bottle that the human had had was gone because the ornitholestes had got hold of it and broken it which made the smell all that more attractive for predators to check out.

The human was timid by raptor standards, Kari thought. She seemed submissive to her when she gestured for her to move and even held herself like she was saddened by something. Maybe she could do what the human lover had done and teach this human to speak raptor. That is if she was able to speak at all because Kari had not heard a word from her yet. She wondered how the human lover taught his human to speak raptor in the first place.

The sound of the sea had grown much louder than when she was at the stream although Kari was sure they had gone away and then back towards it several times. Perhaps the human had only stumble upon the stream after walking for a long time and had no actually home. Suddenly, the human disappeared into a dense wall of brush. The sound of waves crashing was loudest on the other side. Kari stepped though and was immediately awestruck.

Kari was no longer standing on dirt like she was used to but a solid material like in the human compound by the nests of her old pack. It stretched some way down the shore to her right but stopped abruptly with jungle creeping onto it. Before her lay a massive body of water on which she could see large orange objects floating in places but in others it seemed clear. Some ways across the water was shore covered in dense jungle which led to a higher portion with steep jagged cliffs and then more jungle atop it. To the left of Kari was something she could never forget.

The odd grey material expanded outward and for some way beyond what she could see. Atop it were massive structures built by humans but like nothing she had ever seen back home. The buildings were much taller than the ones she had been shown and towered higher than most trees in the area. Large doors were open to most of them while the human vehicles lay all over the place, many of which had been knocked over by high winds or dinosaurs. Windows sat near the roofs of the buildings and most of those were broken or too dirty to see through. By the water's edge large cylinders lined the water and towering by them even more than the buildings was a crane. Kari blinked in disbelief of the sheer size of everything she saw.

Slowly, Kari's attention turned back to the human who had kept walking without notice of Kari's pause and was in fact over a dozen meters away. Kari ran to catch and soon came to a stop by the human and looked at her. She wondered how humans could build such sizable things with such small size and strength. She looked at the human and she looked back. "Amazing," Kari said even though she knew the girl could not understand her.

With a little of a tremor, the human stuck out her hand and reached towards Kari's head. Kari didn't know what she was doing but it seemed almost like she wanted to touch her, there was nothing threatening about it so she allowed it. She felt the human's warm touch and then heard her laugh a little. "Nice dinosaur," said the human. "Nice dinosaur, don't bite me."

Kari cocked her head. The human did speak but it was like she was giving her almost a command but an uneasy one at best. It didn't matter anyway. Kari wasn't going to bite but she wondered if the human knew she was understood anyway. She tried thinking of a way that she could let her know Kari could understand her. "I hope you're a nice dinosaur," the human said with a slight shake in her voice. With that Kari realized what she could do to let the human know. She nodded her head such that it was unmistakable from a normal movement.

The human paused unsure in what she saw. She was confused if what she saw was what she thought it was so asked a simple question that she never thought she would get an answer from. "Can you understand me?" When the animal standing in front of her nodded again after the question, she instantly thought of a dog taking simple commands and apes learning when taught how to understand humans. Could someone have taught it to understand humans or was it simply doing a movement or, was it actually able to understand her? Was there something she could do to confirm on side or the other?

"Sit," the human said. Kari looked at her confused, she knew what she said but why she had said it, she knew not. Kari did not want to take an order since she was no longer in a pack and so shook her head. She knew that simple gestures were easily understood by other species so she guessed that was how the human lover told his human what to do. She kind of wished that he were here to help her figure out how to speak to her.

"No," the human said a little confused. "So you can understand me and were not taught by anyone?" When Kari nodded again, the human continued. "I must be dreaming this can't be real." She pinched herself and flinched. "Ok, maybe not. So, are you actually a nice dinosaur that is not going to eat me?" Kari nodded once more but she didn't like not being able to speak to the human. "Phew, I was a little worried but I guess if you were going to you would have already. Are following me?" Kari nodded. "I don't know why but I guess you don't see many humans. Have you?" Kari shook her head. "This is a little too weird for me."

With a sigh, the human turned and walked towards a small structure by the edge of the water. It was sturdy with very little, but small windows. A large door was its only entrance. It was a single floor by the looks outside and only about a dozen meters in length. The girl had trouble opening the door but with a hard tug, managed it. She stepped into the darkness and disappeared from sight. Kari looked around and then slowly followed. Once she was in the darkness, the door shut.

Kari looked around, there was barely enough light for her to see but then a flash lit the area and she was temperately stunned. When her vision returned to her, she could see that the building was a single room filled with large machines though none seemed to be working. At the center of the building was a large round dome which the human was turning a handle on top of it. Kari watched with a curiosity in how humans used their machines and other things, she could learn from it and perhaps even use it someday.

A loud click echoed from the dome and with a lot of effort by the looks of it, the human pulled it open and started to climb inside. A musty smell hit Kari and she cocked her head before walking over to see what was down there. It was too dark for her to see and she didn't know how to get down. Another flash of light let her see that it was a dark room that she would have little room to move in. Kari watched as the human disappeared through a door and out of her sight.

Kari grew a little anxious. She wanted to follow but how could she get down the hole? The human had climbed down with her legs first but that wouldn't work for her because of her tail, not unless… Kari got an idea and walked past the dome. She looked back and slowly tilted her body until her tail was inside and then slowly, she placed her feet on the ladder and started down. It hurt a little to do so but once she was far enough in, she jumped off the ladder and once she was on the ground she turned around to see she was staring out the entrance of a large tunnel some ways under the surface of the water. Lights along the outside of the tunnel allowed clear view of the sediment along the bottom as well as the large number of plants and fish that lived around the tunnel's structure. It had an eerie feel to it and though she didn't want to go any further, she forced herself onward.

The clear blue waters around her were filled with an abundance of large fish which began to make her hungry again. She wished she could reach out and grab on that was too close to the tunnel but knew that the clear material holding out water could shatter easily when hit hard enough. She saw a door at the far side where she assumed the human was and so ran to it. When she stepped inside, she stopped, she was overlooking a railing with a stairway leading down but for sure she could not get down it for it spiraled down and no matter how much she could turn, she would not be able to get down it.

Instead, Kari looked over the edge and saw that there was ground with in a reasonable area where she could jump down without injury. She looked back down the tunnel, there was no where else the human could have gone so she climbed on the edge and leapt off. She hit the ground with a loud thud and looked around. Kari was along side a large rectangular section of water that was unusually still. On the far side was a door as well as one beside her. A small splash within the water caught her attention. Was it the human?

Suddenly a crocodilian maw burst from the water and Kari shrieked in fright as it snapped shut only a few inches from her body. It was nothing like she had ever seen. The creature was about three meters long with four broad flippers and a sleek blue-grey hide and blood red eyes that seemed to glow. The creature began to heave itself out of the water and tried again to get hold but Kari jumped back but was running out of room quickly. She heard a slam behind her and looked to see the human waving for her to come.

Kari didn't think twice about it. She ran into the room and looked back to see the human close the door behind her. Kari panted heavily, she didn't like deep water for that reason, she heard stories about the things that lived in it and they scared her. Her heart was racing but she felt like she was safe now. The human walked away from her and up a narrow staircase. This time, Kari was able to follow and soon she stood in another room like the building they had entered by but with many more human items that seemed out of place and even a few plants in jars along large windows overlooking the pool where several dark shadows beneath the water circled. Kari looked away to see the human sit on a large rectangular cushion and begin to cry. Kari lowered her head and slowly walked over to her.


	42. Shades of Green

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 42: Shades of Green

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: Sorry for the delays in updating but I am back in school, grade twelve at last, and I've been really busy with homework and tests just about every day for the last few weeks. I hope I can update more quickly in the future but there are no guarantees. I have also posted another short story about the game Trespasser if anyone is interested.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kari looked at the human with an expression of on confusion and wonder. She assumed that the human was upset about something and that she was, as her elders told her humans would do, 'crying'. Kari didn't know anything about how human's solved their problems when they were upset so what could she do? She hoped that it was similar to what velociraptors would do but she couldn't be sure unless she tried. If she were wrong about her, then she would have to think about different ways to solve her problem.

With a slow and unthreatening pace, Kari moved to lie beside the human and began to nuzzle her softly. She didn't know why but she felt some feelings of pity and remorse for this creature. It could not be explained but she felt a connection, one buried deeply within her instincts, one that she doubted she would ever have felt unless getting close to a human like this. The human seemed to ease up in her tears and looked at Kari with almost a smile. And Kari showed her teeth in a kind of smile back.

"I guess it's obvious that you understand emotions better than most dumb animals," The human said softly but then added in a more hesitant tone, "Not that I think you're dumb or anything, I'm just saying… It's just… I've been alone so long that it's not even funny." A tear rolled down her cheek and he face paled slightly as she remembered what had brought her to the island. "Three months, that's how long I've been alone on this forsaken island. My boat was attacked north of here and a few of us escaped on small rafts but couldn't head out to sea so we headed inland hoping that there were buildings and there were. We should have tried our chances out at sea but that creature was in our way. I don't know why I'm telling you this, you probably don't care even." Kari nodded. "Oh, you do want to know, if that's what you meant by that nod. I guess it's just nice to have some…thing to talk to even it you are just an animal. My name's Cassandra by the way, just in case you wanted to know."

"Cassandra," Kari mumbled to herself. This proved it without a doubt, the human was a female. Kari couldn't help but wonder why this one looked and was alone however. She looked old enough to take a mate but seemed like she didn't have one, unless humans had to wait longer to take a mate. Kari couldn't tell the age of this human however. Perhaps she lost hers and that is why she was upset or she hadn't found a strong one yet that would be worth to be the father of her hatchlings? And where were the others she had talked about there had been none around when they came in and she could smell none? Maybe that creature in the pool that tried to eat Kari had gotten them. Kari looked at her and said, "My name is Kari."

"I really wish I understood you. That would make things so much easier." With a sighed, Cassandra wiped the tears from her eyes and leaned back. "At least it would be nice to be talked to for once." She then looked at the raptor next to her and slowly raised her hand. "May I pet you?" Kari cocked her head and then nodded a little. Cassandra smiled at the raptor as it purred when she gently rubbed the back of its neck. "I hope you stay like this. That is being nice to me. Not like those other animals that live on this island. They're the reason I'm alone." When she received a questioning look from the raptor she decided she might as well tell all since she had nothing left to hide.

"Several of the rafts made it here after a large sail back creature attacked us. It came out of the water when we were going into the inlet to dock for the night and hopefully go ashore the next day to have a party. It destroyed the main area where the radio was so we couldn't call for help. Most of the people were killed and not eaten. Eight of us sought refuge in the buildings above ground but only found more monsters. They killed my father and my mother in front of me but the six of us left managed to escape into a building. Eventually hunger drove us out and a different creature attacked us with some kind of black substance that it spit at you. It burned the skin and blinded you before it paralyzed so that you died soon after if it didn't wear off I guess. Three more of us died that day but we had their bodies to bury at least. Two more of my best friends disappeared during that night and I was alone." She looked down and tears began to trickle down her face once more. "I found their bodies in another building the next day. They chose to kill themselves rather than live another day on this island. I buried them and the remains of the others near the edge of the jungle the day after that when it was safe and then I found this place by chance. It was the only place that was safe enough that I could stay without fearing for my life. If we had only found it sooner…none of them would have died. I should have known that this was an odd shape and size for a building and that there had to be more to it."

Cassandra pulled her knees to her chest and began to cry. "They never even told me what they were going to do. I wouldn't have done it but maybe I could have talked them out of it or something. I was so scared and I was alone. I've been alone for so long and it's so cold down here at nights that I nearly freeze every day even with the blanket I found. There is nothing left for me back home now. My parents were my only family and now they're dead. I don't even have a pet to go back to, she died two weeks before all of this happened." Cassandra looked at the raptor and asked if she had a family and when the raptor shook its head she continued. "I guess we might be alike then. I have no family and I'm guessing since I haven't seen you around before and that you're alone that you don't have a home either to go back to either. Maybe…" Cassandra trailed off and fell into silence but her tears continued.

Kari felt truly sorry for this human. She could think of few things worse than being alone because the people close to you killed themselves so that they would not have to live on the island anymore or died by the teeth and claws of one of many carnivores. That was truly tragic. Another feeling stirred within Kari, a maternal instinct, one to protect. She might as well consider Cassandra her friend from now on. How could she even consider eating her now that she knew what had happened to her? Not even to end her pain would Kari consider it. Maybe they could form a pack together though in Kari's mind it seemed a bit strange to have a mixed species pack like the human lover. She was alone with out a family just like Cassandra. They were so much alike that it seemed only fair to join together. Alone they may be weak but together they might be able to survive much longer. Hunting would be easier on Kari if the human knew how but she doubted it.

There was one problem above all else that plagued any friendship between them and that was language. Kari couldn't think of any way that she could teach the human knowingly how to understand her and it seemed that she wouldn't be able to without the help of the human lover. Maybe she could find him. No she couldn't, remembering what had happened, it was too dangerous to head back the way she had come. If the human lover was going the way she though and ended up at the herrerasaurus grounds he might as well be dead. From the stories no one could have survived such a place long. Maybe the best thing she could do for Cassandra was get her to a human that would take her home even if she didn't want to go. She was bound to have friends back home, where ever that was.

With that decision made, Kari decided that she would just protect this human until she was able to go home. Kari gently placed her head against the human's shoulder and began to hum a soft tone that drew the human's attention to her. When Kari felt the soft touch of the human against her neck, she moved her body so that it acted as a kind of brace for her if she wanted it. It had been a trying day so far, the least they could do was rest for a while. Together they sat quietly in the cool of the room just staring at nothing in particular.

A sound began to resonate around then, it was long and deep and full sorrow and joy. It had a calming effect to it and immediately drew Kari's attention. She looked around but could not find its source but then she realized that it was coming from the other side of the window and so she slowly stood up and walk to it. Below her by the pool of water, several of the creatures had dragged themselves out of the water and they were making the sounds that seemed more like songs than anything. Even though they had attacked her, she couldn't help but feel good while listening to the tune.

"They sound like whales singing," Cassandra said as leaned against the railing, a smile gracing her face. "It's beautiful isn't it? This is why I choose to stay down here rather than near the surface. It's the one thing that truly eases my mind and helps me forget everything that happened to me. There's about eight of them, but I can't be sure. I've never seen all of them on the surface."

Kari couldn't help but agree. It did seem to take your worries away and at least it was pleasant to listen to. Her gaze however turned from the creatures and to the clear material encasing the place. She wondered what it was and why it was holding still. When she had visited the old human structure, the clear material always seemed to be broken. She noticed something however on the surface of the water. It was a green shape and it seemed to be swimming. She cocked her head but then realized the only creature she knew that was that size and green was the liar and traitor. She hissed.

Cassandra looked with weary eyes at the raptor but soon followed its gaze up. "Oh, my god is that another like you?" Kari nodded slightly. "Is it friendly?" This time Kari shook her head vigorously. "Oh, I hope it doesn't come down here then." It was not long however before the shape was distorted and out of sight completely. Kari settled down slightly but couldn't help but wonder why he was swimming across the water and if it was the one she had known or if more had survived.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sophia stood with a mind racing more than it had ever been. She was with hatchling but not any hatchlings. Those of Zenith, who she considered very close to a mate until the moment Tessa had told them that Zenith was the son of Tyrannous, her enemy, the traitor, the one above all others who deserved death. She was carrying the grandchildren of Tyrannous. What could she do? It was against on of her highest morals and that of her old pack to kill hatchlings, unless if was a matter of life or death for the pack. What if they turned out like Tyrannous? And what about her relationship with Zenith, could she truly trust him now that she had found out the most dreadful of secrets.

Sophia's breathing became heavy and labored. She began to feel light headed and blinked several times trying to fix her eyesight as it blurred. With a sudden turn, she bolted to the cave entrance and raced across the road. She couldn't bare the thought of carrying Tyrannous's grandchildren. She couldn't. Let alone, she could never let the others find out. Zenith knew to keep quiet but Tessa may have figured it out. She couldn't bear to be with them not after what she had done. How could they accept her as their friend anymore?

Deeper into the jungle she continued until at last dizziness overwhelmed her and she collapsed against a tree. Sophia lay their in the darkness of the jungle floor panting and gasping for air. She couldn't carry these hatchlings, not now. Maybe death was her only solution. That would allow her to be free of the burden of this size but she couldn't kill herself. That was worse than most things amongst her old pack. Plus she didn't know what was waiting for her on the other side. And she didn't want to know just yet. Her worst fear was that, being unable to be sure of the afterlife if there was one.

Slowly, she dragged herself around the tree until she was out of sight within a tangle of roots and vines. Sophia closed her eyes and whimpered. In the distance she could hear the others calling for her and it grew louder as they got closer. Soon they would be close enough that they would know where she was but she did not have the strength to run any more. She didn't know why but it was as if the strength she had used up when running was, all that she had. A scent hit her and she began to question running. It was of the other humans and they were getting close. Sophia called out and it was not long before she was found but by the wrong group. Her heart raced as a man stepped over her with a rifle aimed at her neck. She felt scared, she was going to die.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here boys." The leader of the group said. With that he fired a single shot and Sophia fell limp. "Hurry up and bring it with us, the others are bound to be nearby." He turned away as the two men under his command grabbed the body and dragged it behind them towards their new camp…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tom slowly descended with Mr. Glendale by his side. The creature had left them half and hour ago when it heard voices some ways away he guessed. For now it seemed they were alone. The climb down was long and slow. Mr. Glendale had lost enough blood that it was affecting him negatively and he was breathing irregularly. "I know of some caves we could hide in for a while and a road I think nearby that leads to it," Tom suggested but only received a blank stare from Mr. Glendale. He didn't seem to care anymore. The full realization that his daughter was in love with an animal had sank in and that if anyone were to find out it would be the end of so many of his business connections not to mention that his daughter was lost to him now.

They reached the ground and Tom help Mr. Glendale as he hobbled along. Several minutes passed until they were close to the road and it was within sight but movement on it caused Tom to duck into the bushes with Mr. Glendale being dragged behind. Tom looked cautiously out a small opening in the foliage and saw two raptors walking along the road. They looked similar to Zenith and Tessa but were different. Tom realized that they must be the ones after Amanda and Silver Claw. One of them stopped and sniffed the air.

Tom froze and realized that the wind was blowing towards the raptors at that moment. If they were found they would not escape. The two raptors talked to one another in a series of chirps and growls and then moved into the jungle towards Tom. Sweat poured off Tom's face and he began to tremble. The raptors were only a few meters away when a gunshot sounded in the distance. The two raptors looked at one another and dashed past Tom and disappeared away towards the sound.

Birds began to sing in the trees after a while and the insects came alive. The raptors had gone and it was safe once more. Tom gasped and then sighed with relief. That was the second time he had come that close to death, it wasn't ever something he'd like to repeat. He left Mr. Glendale where he was and moved to the road to scout it out. There was nothing in sight so he waved Mr. Glendale over. Together, they trekked down the road at a slow pace, but at least they were moving slightly faster than in the jungle. Tom hoped that they would find somewhere safe and soon.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thrascar looked at himself from the reflection in a polished stone. The blood of the latest attempt at a mate stained the black of his lips. The metallic taste was fresh in his mouth and his anger was at an all time high. His body trembled with rage. He was never to have children and killing his own pack would not slake his anger. He needed more.

His cared not for the human loving reject anymore but had his attention on the other packs of the island. A memory entered his mind of his mother, a brown female. He had no true father. The humans had used a machine to impregnate her and she carried him until his live birth upon which, she died after cleaning him and telling him how he was born.

Another, larger tremor rocked his body and he clenched his jaws. She was weak. To die in child birth was the ultimate disgrace to him. At last he could hold it in no longer and tossed back his head. He roared so loud and soon long that the pack outside his home collapsed to the ground hoping not to feel his anger upon them. It did not come however. This time, he was going to find a challenge worthy of him to bring his anger to an end but it was not within his pack.

He kicked a rope near to him holding several barrels and it broke. The barrels fell and several cracks formed allowing a bright liquid to ooze out towards a small fracture leading to the molten rock below. In a fury, Thrascar marched out of the building and stood on the raised steps. "Come to me all who wish a warrior's death!" He roared. The pack was quick to gather around him. Once they had settled, he spoke again. "Today I have come to realize that we are not to stay down here! We are rulers and fighters, we are death itself. Today we march and we run and we will slay all those who oppose us! Today we go to WAR!"

He let out a deep bellow that stirred the crowd. They all gathered in. "Gather your strength for we march today to reclaim that land that is ours and they shall know what it feels like to be inferior. We feast on the flesh of our enemies tonight and they shall know fear, to WAR!" A large pocket of molten rock exploded, flinging the heated substance onto the building and surrounding area. The metal glowed as it began to melt before cooling again and solidifying in an odd arch behind the raptor.

Thrascar hopped off the stairs and ran through the crowd which soon followed behind him at a slower pace. The pack thundered into the tunnels with thirty strong. None would stay behind for the penalty they knew was death. The newborns were scooped by their mothers and held between their jaws in a vice-like grip.

Thrascar felt the full power that he and he alone held as leader. It was intoxicating and only fueled his rage more and made him more bloodthirsty than ever. His black hide blended with the darkness of the caves and all but his eyes and the label on his side could be seen as the light faded into the distance but even then it was almost not existent. A low rumble shook the cave and there was an explosion from the place where they had left. Thrascar smiled, the chemicals had blown and there was no returning now.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda walked quietly though the jungle with Ellie. They were looking for Sophia and so the group had split up to have a better chance of finding her. Silver Claw, Tessa and Zenith were on their own searching by the road and near the jungle's edge. Since the tyrannosaurus rex was not within what they considered a danger zone, Ellie and Amanda had gone in straight, walking in a line from where Sophia had gone in.

"You know you've changed a lot," Ellie said softly. "You look more haggard than before but also more muscular I think." She laughed a little. "I guess it isn't much for you but then again, it has been a while since we last saw each other."

"I know but look at you," Amanda replied with a chuckle of her own. "It looks like your some kind of spy or something. I mean when did you learn to use a gun? Better yet, when did you learn to ride a motorcycle or have any real experience in the outdoors? What's happed to you since you left?"

"It's a long story but I guess it started with the bombing at the building I was at. John offered me a job a little after that and I took it." She sighed heavily, her eyes fixed on the ground looking for traces that Sophia may have left behind. "I was only a kind of secretary type of person, getting people what they needed and typing things up some times. My boss seemed to take a liking to me however and she taught me how to use different guns and we were on a camping trip when I got called here. That's the shortest I could make it."

"Wow, you've been busy." Amanda sighed. "Do you know who bombed the building?" Ellie quickly explained what had happened that day and Amanda nodded in agreement but yet was concerned. "I'd be careful if I were you. It sounds like these people could be very bad and what if they caught you? You could spend a while in prison or worse if they didn't want it coming out, about what was going on between them and InGen."

"It's nothing I can't handle," Ellie sighed and crouched suddenly. "I think these are her tracks and it looks like she fell or something about here." Ellie pointed out where the leaves had been scattered. She looked at Amanda who seemed to have a lot on her mind but soon was crouched beside her.

"I think so," Amanda said lightly. "I have another question to ask, what do your parents think about this?" She received only a slight shake in response but knew exactly what it meant. "You haven't told them yet? I know your parents well enough that they would be calling almost every hour, what did you tell them?"

"I told them that I was getting test done in somewhere with InGen and that they wouldn't be able to contact me until I got back." Ellie's expression turned to one a deepening sadness. "They love me, I know that. But I needed time to myself, I didn't get a moment of peace while I was with them and to tell you the truth, much of the time I was wishing I was back her with you and Silver Claw. I miss the freedom that comes with this life." She noticed an impression in the dirt. "Oh no, they got to her first."

"What!" Amanda blurted and looked to where Ellie had pointed out. "They dragged her away but it doesn't look like they killed her." Amanda said optimistically. "If we can find them, maybe you could scare them off with that gun of yours."

Ellie looked at her gun and was wondering why it had locked up on her. "I think I got some sand in it or something when I came onto the beach. It locked up after I shot and killed one of those greens. I hope they don't get here any time soon."

"I hope that too," Amanda said and stretched up. She started to follow the tracks. "We should check if it is Sophia before we call the others, that way if we're wrong they might find her," Ellie said and Amanda agreed.

The followed the tracks for some ways until they heard a single gunshot in the distance. Amanda and Ellie looked at each other and started to run toward it. They crashed through the jungle noisily without concern of being found. They had to know if it was Sophia. There was no way that if Sophia was alive that they would let her die. She was all that was left of Silver Claw's pack and Amanda would not let him feel the total loss of his family.

Thoughts entered Amanda's mind and she realized Sophia was kind of a part of her family now. A smile broke the fear of not knowing her fate. Sophia was family. No matter how much they were fighting, she was still part of their family. After what had happened on the boat, she would not give let her family be harmed without giving a fight to stop it.

They emerged into a small glade and Amanda stopped Ellie. Before them a lay a large area of disturbed grasses and at its heart a dark figure curled and bleeding. It was too hard to tell what it was from the distance but it was obvious that it was dead. Amanda looked around, the men had come from this direction but it seemed they had left on the far side without dragging what it was they had. She feared the worst.

Slowly, Amanda crept forward and looked upon the body. She brushed the grasses out of her way and sighed. It was not Sophia but an ornitholestes. They had not killed her, maybe they didn't find her at all and this was all they had. A single bullet wound marked its head. "It's not her," Amanda said and looked back to see Ellie running up to her.

"Something's around us!" Ellie said and stood back to back with Amanda. She had her gun drawn but Amanda had only a small knife with her. They scanned the surrounding trees but the brush was thick and it was hard to tell what lay beyond its dense borders. A flash of moment however caught Ellie's attention. "Who's there?"

"What did you see?" Amanda asked but before Ellie could answer, she saw movement and then a head peer out of the bush. She recognized it as a female raptor, one like Tessa but the colors were in a different pattern. "Who are you and what do you want?" Amanda shouted but received only a snarl in return.

A click sound but nothing else and Ellie stood with fear gripping her heart. A green, tall and muscular with his teeth showing stood before her at the edge of the glade. "Amanda!" Ellie said and glanced back to see the female approaching from the other side. They were trapped.


	43. Captured

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 43: Captured

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: A suggestion has come up recently and I would like to know what you think of the idea. I am neither for nor against the idea but I would like to know if you would like to see a lesbian relationship between Cassandra and Kari. It was not what I was thinking of, my idea was more of a parental role (Kari adopted Cassandra as her daughter), but I can change it if enough of you would like. Please leave comments about what you think. Again sorry for the long wait but school has kept me busy with homework and exams. (For those who would like to know, the title of the next chapter is Silver Claw's Wrath) I will try and get it done as soon as I can.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda locked eyes with the female of the greens that she assumed was here to kill her and Silver Claw. The female was tall but yet smaller than Tessa. She had a bright crimson hide with blotches of yellows, greens, blacks, and a few peppered spots of blue. Her eyes were a bright blue with a slight tint of green which stuck out all the more because of the crimson around it. As the female opened her mouth again to hiss, Amanda could see the teeth, stained pink from blood, and its tongue, a blue-black color with areas of saliva that glistened in the light.

Ellie however had her sight on the male while she tried to fix her gun. He was taller than the female but obviously older from the duller complexion of his scales. His hide was a dark shade of emerald green and the length of his body was riddled in scars. The bright blue eyes that sat under small crests stared at the humans, examining them while his head made slight adjustments like a bird locking onto its prey.

The two raptors began to circle the two humans but made no hint that they were a threat and going to leap forward and tear them to pieces at any moment. As long as Ellie's weapon was not working, they would not attack unless they felt threatened. Several minutes passed and the female stopped before Amanda. The male made one more circulation before coming to a stop before Ellie with his teeth shown.

"So you are Amanda," the female of the green said. Her voice was soft like Sunayana's voice but yet had a slight difference, almost like an accent. "And who's your friend, the murderous little charlatan who thinks that she knows how to use the weapon of cowards." She raised her head high and seemed to proclaim her dominance over the two humans. She took a menacing step forward but stopped short of the second as her tail stiffened as if to leap forward but then relaxed. "Do you understand me?"

"I do," Amanda said in a passive voice. She hoped that Silver Claw and the others would come to them before the two raptors decided to attack so she decided to do her best to stall them. "Why are you here, who sent you?"

"That is none of your business," the male snapped and hissed menacingly. He raised his claws and then dug them into the ground. He looked past Ellie to Amanda and then to the female. "Let us kill them now before they become a nuisance and the others show up to protect them."

"No not yet," the female said, "I have a few questions for the human lovers mate." She received a cold stare from the male but he was silent. She continued, "What made you choose him as a mate?"

Amanda blinked blankly. The question had caught her off guard. "I…I love him. I chose him because I love him." Amanda said in raptor and then glanced back to Ellie. She had yet to fix the gun. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Nor will I, you are in no position to be asking questions, only answering." The female said and then laid in the grass, the male remained standing however. "Now, how did you meet this Silver Claw?" Amanda remained silent. "I should tell you that if you don't answer my questions it will result in your immediate death and I will make sure he is tormented by the thoughts of how I tortured you and how you began me to stop, calling his name for help but you weren't there. Oh, why weren't you there."

"Alright," Amanda looked down. She didn't know why this raptor wanted to know about how she and Silver Claw met and if they were in love. "We met in a building." Amanda received a looked that she knew met for her to add more to what she had said. "My family was killed by the spinosaurus a few days before we met and I was hiding in the building when he stumbled upon me." She didn't want to say any more but if she was going to stall them longer she had to. "He had just lost his family to the spinosaurus as well. I ran away at first but he rescued me several times from different carnivores."

"We should kill them now before this one finds out what is wrong with her weapon," The males said in a harsh tone the forced the female to stand. He was barraged by harsh terms and orders to remember his place.

Amanda was about to speak when the female shrieked, it was loud and terrible. In an instant the female dropped to the ground and went limp. Next gunshots rang out from all around them. One hit Ellie's gun and knocked it from her hands while another hit the male raptor and as soon as the shots fell silent, he dashed into the woods.

Amanda looked around desperately for the sources of the shots but she could not see them through the thick brush. A sudden burst of pain erupted from her gut and she looked down to see a dart sticking out of her. She reached down slowly and pulled it out. It was empty and as she realized it, she dropped to her knees. Amanda tried to stand by instead rolled over on to her back and the last thing she saw was a pterodactyl flying overhead amongst the fluffy clouds. Darkness overcame her and she saw no more.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sophia awoke. Her eyes still heavy with sleep refused to open. She moved slightly and felt something cold touch her. Her eyes opened. She was in a cage! She knew well enough that thrashing around and trying to break the cage would only hurt her. A rush of feeling filled Sophia and she remembered what had happened. She had run away from the others when she had found out Tyrannous was her yet unborn children's grandfather and Zenith's father. She remembered the tiredness that overwhelmed her and that the humans had shot her and after that she could remember no more. Her neck was stiff and sore in a place where she assumed that she was shot.

A gentle breeze swept through the area as Sophia looked around. She was in a small clearing near the cliff overlooking the ocean but she suspect that there was some foliage at the base but she was nowhere close enough to see. There were two empty cages to her right and one to her left. They were so close that they nearly touched and she could have easily reached out and touched them if her arm were able to bend enough to slip between the bars. Several tables were scattered around the clearing with large tools and machinery and she could see three tents set up in a circle at the outer edges of the clearing. A low hum quickly caught her attention. She looked around but could not see its source but soon enough she realized what it was, a fence.

Several birds flew overhead squawking loudly and seemed to be frightened. A low hiss drifted through the air and then a kind of explosion that made her jump and hit her head on the top of the cage. Sophia could see sparks flying from behind a large cluster of foliage and she knew that something had touched the fence. She sniffed the air. The humans were nowhere near her.

Sophia began to look for something that she could press to escape but there was neither something in reach nor something in sight. She was not even able to stand up because of the low confines of the cage. She gently touched her snout to the metal bars, they were cold and unwelcoming but she knew that she had to escape. She could not fit through so there was only one other choice. With great reluctance, she tilted her head and slid her lower jaw alone one side of a bar and her upper along the other.

The metal squealed as Sophia began to chew the bar. Her teeth ached as they began to scratch the hard surface and after a few minutes, her gums began to bleed. She whimpered as she continued without a break. Suddenly, she recoiled as if something had bitten her. Pain throbbed in her mouth and she whimpered even more. Slowly, she explored the inside of her mouth with her tongue and soon found the source of her pain. A tooth had fractured down the middle but had not come out.

With another whimper, Sophia turned her head and tucked it under her arm. She wept quietly, a gentle whimper and growl. She felt more alone than she ever had before. The humans would return and surely kill her or worse. If they left her until her children were born then they may kill them before her. She couldn't kill them herself no matter who they were related to but even worse was that she considered it a possibility. Why had she been so stupid?

She wanted to be with Silver Claw, Amanda, Tessa, Ellie, and most of all she wanted to be Zenith. She loved him and she ran away, how could he accept her back for what she had done? If she were ever able to get back to him, she would have a lot of apologizing for. She should not be scared of what her children may grow to be she thought, they would not be with the traitor and Zenith is nothing like Tyrannous.

Sophia pulled her head out from under her arm and looked through the bars at the clouds above. She wished she could just be free of all the dangers that plagued her life. She wished she could settle down somewhere where there was nothing to threaten her life. She wished that she could live in a territory where there was no real danger to her children when they were born. She could not however think of any on the island.

Perhaps it would be best to just go back to her home and live there with Zenith if he would go. Together they could rebuild the nest or move them to a safer location like the tunnels. Even the building would be an acceptable place, it was more sheltered than any other place she could think of and the larger carnivores could not enter it. An idea came to mind and she wondered about the other pack that had split away from hers, would they accept her?

Her thoughts were interrupted however when she heard the footsteps of several creatures approaching. She looked around and then noticed a gate that she had neglected to take note of before when she had first glanced around quickly to see where she was. With a click, the gate opened slightly and then it swung open as three humans entered the clearing. Behind them, dragged a raptor of the greens and Amanda, they were tired at the waist and were simply dragged along the ground. Sophia hissed fiercely at the sight, she didn't care about the green but Amanda should not have been treated like she was.

While two of the men placed Amanda in the cage on her right and the green in the one next to it, the man who had shot her kicked the cage she was in shouting at her to be quiet. This only made Sophia angrier and she snarled more. With a sigh, the man plucked a small rod from his side and pressed a button. An electric crack resonated from it and then he stuck her in the neck with it.

Sophia howled as sparks burst from the device, her body shaking with rage and pain. When he released her from its torment, Sophia collapsed against the cold metal, panting and her chest heaving, she gasped for air and whimpered. A satisfactory grunt came from the man and he walked way from her.

Whimpering again, Sophia looked to her right to see Amanda propped up against the bars closest to her, she was still unconscious. Her pants were shredded near the base and filled with holes all the way to her waist. The back of her shirt had been rolled up almost of her neck while the front remained down and her stomach and chest covered, and the smooth skin that was once on her back was replaced by long scratches, several bleeding wounds, and her skin was blackened by mud and dirt. And worst of all, a dark line circled her waist where the rope had been tired too tight. It looked like a terrible bruise and she knew it would cause her much pain when she woke. Sophia felt terrible that she had caused Amanda to suffer so much.

Being brought so close to death, or at least thinking she would be dead, had changed her more that she thought it would. It made her realize that she had no reason to be angry with Amanda. She was the one who slew the spinosaurus that nearly ate her and Zenith. Amanda had only been kind but received anger and distrust in return. The only wrong doing on her behalf was that she fell in love with the one Sophia held dear to her hear. Sophia looked down but then noticed slight movement come from Amanda.

"Amanda?" Sophia asked softly. "Amanda, are you awake?" She heard a soft groan come from Amanda and then she rolled over. Sophia saw the tears rolling down her cheeks and she knew she was in pain. Amanda's head tilted down and she began to cry even more, attracting the attention of the man who had just shocked Sophia.

"Shut up little girl," Lewis Dodgson said in a harsh tone. When she did not stop, he plucked the rod from this belt again and pressed the button. "Stop or I'll do to you what I did to your friend." Amanda could not stop however and so he knelt by her side. Amanda screamed as the electrical current ravaged her body.

Sophia's eyes widened at Amanda's pain and she made the loudest call for help she could, saying that Amanda was being harmed. She knew it would draw Silver Claw and the others. Sophia shrieked as the electric rod jabbed her side and she slammed against the bars uncontrollably.

Walking with a grin on his face, Dodgson moved to join the others. He began to speak to them but Sophia could not tell what it was about. Soon after he finished, the two men went to their tents but Dodgson stood by a table and opened a case. He pulled a long syringe with a lengthy need out of the case and filled it with some kind of liquid. He then pulled his gun from his shoulder and loaded it with the dart. After a quick looked down the barrel, Dodgson shouldered the rifle again and walked to one of the tents.

Once he had disappeared within the tent, Sophia looked to Amanda who had curled near the back corner of the cage allowing her a clear sight upon the green female who looked back at her. Sophia hissed slightly but then turned her attention to Amanda. "Amanda? Amanda, are you alright?"

Amanda looked up. Her face was reddened by her pain and glistened from her tears. She hesitated to answer but nodded unsurely. She removed her hand from her side to reveal large, almost blister like wounds on her side from where the rod had come in contact with her skin. Once she was sure that Sophia knew that it was not life threatening, she very gently placed her hand, cupped so that nothing touched it, over the wound.

"I'm sorry Amanda," Sophia said sadly. She had scales and a higher pain tolerance than Amanda so she knew that it hurt her much, much more than it did a raptor. "It's my fault you're here. I should never have run away. I-I-I was just… scared."

Amanda opened her mouth as if to speak but the gate into the area creaked and drew both her and Sophia's attention. Two people, a man and a woman rushed into the enclosed area and slammed the gate behind them. Just as the door shut, a blue streak hit the fence but was repelled instantly. It was Silver Claw! With a hiss, he disappeared into the brush beyond the fence but not before looking at Amanda and his expression softening at the sight of her sill alive.

"Holy shit that was close," the man exclaimed, gasping for air as if he had run a marathon. He wrapped his arm around the woman next to him and pulled her close, "You alright Holly? Did it scratch you or something because it seemed to be sick, I think it might be diseased?"

"No, I'm fine Chad," she kissed him on the cheek. "I thought you were going to fall behind there for a while. I don't know if it's sick though, I didn't see any sign of disease. It seemed to me that it was angry more than anything maybe it's enraged.

"Hey Dodgson you old son of a bitch, you didn't say anything about these dinosaurs being mad." He laughed deeply and began to walk forward but stopped when he heard a hiss. He looked at Sophia for a long while, unable to see Amanda. "Look at that thing. They're ugly bastards aren't they? I wonder if it's a guy or a gal." He laughed again, "Eh Dodgson, where you at?"

"There are two of them and something in the middle. I can't tell what it is." Holly said and crouched. "Oh my god it's a girl!" In an instant, she was at the cage and was about to open the latch but she felt someone grab her wrist. It was Dodgson. "Why do have a young girl in a cage Dodgson? What did she do to deserve this?"

"Do you know why that thing was after you? We have his mate." Dodgson said and released her hand and walked away. "That girl might just kill you if you open the cage for her. And Chad, how many times do I have to tell you that if you are addressing me, it's sir or Mr. Dodgson."

A large grin crept over Chad's face and he just patted Lewis Dodgson on the shoulder before joining Holly next to the cage. He looked at her and then to Dodgson. "Did you guys have your way with her because she looks like she's been through hell?" He looked back at her and noticed the reddening under her hand. "Does she speak at all?"

"I do," Amanda said angrily. "You had better let me go and leave this place before you are eaten." Amanda removed her hand from the wound and crawled to the front of the cage. "Dodgson is nothing but trouble. You had best leave him outside the fence."

"Oh my, what happened to your side? Wait a minute, Dodgson you didn't use your cattle prod there on her did you?" Holly asked even though she already knew the answer, "how could you do that to her, what did she do to deserve it?"

"She's as feral as any animal on this island," Dodgson said in a harsh and emotionless tone that sent shivers down Amanda's spine. He walked forward and kicked the cage heavily then stepped back. "She speaks in growls and hisses most of the time. You should have heard her in the clearing where we caught her and this one." Dodgson pointed to the cage holding the female green. She had remained silent since she awoke but seemed to be studying her surroundings closely from the slight twitches of her eyes and the fact her gaze was on the area and not movement.

"How'd you capture her, did you use rope or something?" Chad said and looked at Sophia as she hissed at him. Several birds flew overhead and Chad saw a slight movement in the brush beyond the fence. Dodgson saw it too.

Amanda looked back and saw Silver Claw's head emerge from the brush. "No Silver Claw," Amanda spoke in raptor. "Go and hide somewhere and find Ellie. I'll be fine. Please, I don't want you to be shot, go." Amanda felt her heart drop as she knew the sorrow that he felt upon seeing her imprisoned and the sorrow that both of them felt because they could not help one another. He mouthed something and even though she could not know for sure, she knew what he had said. 'I love you.' He slipped away and tears began to roll down her cheek. "I love you too."

"I see what you mean by growls and hisses," Chad said and walked to the fence. "Was she talking to that thing or was it something else?" He received a strange look from Holly as if he had said some preposterous idea like the sun circled around the earth. "It was only a though," he shrugged and walked away from the fence.

Holly looked back through the cage bars. "What's your name?" She received a silent stare for a few moments but then Amanda answered. "Amanda eh, that's a nice name. If you promise not to try and escape I can treat your wounds so they don't get infected or anything. Where are your parents?"

"I won't promise you anything," Amanda crossed her arms. "My mother is dead and my father _was_ with that guy." Amanda pointed to Dodgson. "He shot me with a dart so I assume he probably shot and killed my father since I don't see him around here."

Dodgson pulled the rod from his belt again and gently tapped it against his hand. "I'm sure he is still alive Amanda. That is unless he found something that ate him. The kid was with him as well so I don't know if he's been eaten or not." Dodgson knelt by the bars closes to Sophia and lightly tapped the rod against the bars resulting in a high pitched echoing sound. "Why don't you just sit back and relax, it's obvious you aren't going anywhere." With that, he guided Chad and Holly into a tent on the far side of the clearing and they disappeared inside.

Amanda leaned against the side closest to Sophia and slid her arm between the bars and gently touched Sophia on her side. Sophia looked at Amanda with sorrow and remorse. "It's not your fault," Amanda said. "We're alive and that's all that matters. I'm sure that Silver Claw and the others will find a way to get us out of here. I have a question though, why did you run away from us?"

"I was scared that all of you wouldn't accept me because of what I had done." Sophia lowered her head. She figured she might as well tell her. "I'm pregnant with Zenith's hatchlings. I ran away because I found out that they, my children, are related to Tyrannous. I was going to kill myself but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm sorry."

"Sophia," Amanda said in a tone of understanding. "I think it's great that you're going to have children. Even if they are related to Tyrannous, they won't turn out like him, not if you are raising them. You're going to make a great mother Sophia and you shouldn't think otherwise."

Sophia's expression softened and she placed her head against Amanda's hand. "You really think so." Amanda nodded. "I am truly sorry that I got you into this. I hope you can forgive me, I hope that Silver Claw can forgive me, but most of all, I hope Zenith will forgive me." Amanda's hand gently scratched the underside of Sophia's jaw.

"I'm sure he will Sophia, you were scared that all. Everyone gets scared." Amanda realized that there was blood coming Sophia's mouth. When she asked about it, Sophia quickly told what she tried to do but had failed at and then proceeded to press lightly on the tooth with her tongue. "I can help you with that that is if you want it pulled out." Sophia nodded slowly and kept her mouth open. Amanda reached out and gently touched the tooth. She tugged at it a little and then wiped the saliva from her fingers onto her shirt and then proceeded to pull on it as hard as she could. On the third try, she succeeded and the tooth came out but not before cutting the tips of Amanda's fingers up.

"Thank you," Sophia said with a slight hint of discomfort and pain in her voice. She probed the hole with her tongue and then gently set her head on the bottom of the cold cage. She watched as Amanda cleaned the wounds she could reach and examined those that she could not tend to. Every now and again, Amanda would look over her shoulder to see if, what Sophia assumed was Silver Claw, was peering out of the bushes once more.

An hour passed and the sun had passed its peek and was beginning to fall once more. The air however remained hot and humid. Waves broke upon the unseen shoreline beyond the base of the cliffs and the wind only fueled them. Insects came alive in the forest beyond the fence and sang in a chorus of chirping and buzzing. Few animals could be heard in the jungle but on occasion, the long call of a brachiosaur would resonate from all directions.

Sophia snapped at a passing fly that had continued to persist in annoying her. She had not seen the humans since they had disappeared within the tents nor did she wish to. After what they had done, if she were to escape, the one known as Dodgson would be her first meal. She would make him suffer for what he did to her and Amanda. His death would be as slow and painful as she could make it and he would beg for death before the end.

A flap on the tent opened and the woman know as Holly stepped out. She crossed the gap and entered a tent on the other side. A few minutes passed before she reemerged holding a bundle in her arms with several large poles sticking out from all directions. Amanda quickly explained to her that it was for another tent and the basic 'how to.' Sophia watched with some curiosity about what the human was doing and soon it had her full attention. She found it funny to watch as the human kept having troubles and then had to start over or take what she had just done apart.

Amanda however had her sights on the brush. She had two things on her mind, escaping and holding Silver Claw in her arms for the rest of the day and not letting go of him. Why was it that other humans always tore them apart from one another? It seemed that the whole world was against them and would try anything to tear them apart. She winced as a cool breeze swept across the tender skin where Dodgson had electrocuted her.

Slowly, her attention turned back to the female of the green raptors. She was quiet and still like stone. Her body was relaxed but yet there was a hint of tenseness within it. Amanda could only wonder what she was thinking about. She wondered why this female, who by all accounts was her enemy, was so interested in her love for Silver Claw and how they met. What could she possibly gain from knowing it? Amanda didn't like the fact that she had to speak about the death of her family as well as Silver Claw's but it kept her alive long enough that Dodgson captured them. And where was Ellie, hopefully she escaped Amanda thought. Whether that was a good thing or a bad one that Ellie had not been caught was yet to be seen because the male was also missing. There was an even greater issue however. How would Silver Claw rescue them and what would they do about the green. It was not safe to have her around while she was under orders to kill Silver Claw, but yet there was something different about this green. Amanda felt some kind of curiosity about her even though she hid it well.

With a sigh, Amanda turned her attention back to her love. She stared at the sky and every cloud seemed to resemble him. The guilt for telling him to go and leave her behind was building up but she knew it was for the best. He had a chance to save her now and they had not the chance to shoot at him. Amanda felt tired and slowly laid herself on the cold metal of the cage bottom. Using her arm as a pillow, Amanda slowly closed her eyes. She mumbled silently, "I love you Silver Claw," and she drifted into a dream filled slumber.


	44. Silver Claw’s Wrath

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 44: Silver Claw's Wrath

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: I don't have the time I used to for writing so I will try to update when I can. Because of several Private Messages and general comments, I put a two part poll on my user page that addresses what several people have brought up recently and in the past I have said no to.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw paced quickly back and forth, his breathing was heavy and each breath was filled with an insurmountable anger. His vision blurred with rage and he was clicking his claw on the ground. Few birds were willing to pass overhead but the ones that did, he snarled at and then leapt in an attempt to catch them midflight so that he could tear them to pieces. Anything that got in the way of saving Amanda was going to die. All his thought was bent upon that goal and nothing not even a fence was going to get in his way. There was no way he would let the humans escape and their only way to leave was by the way they came.

Silver Claw started for the building. If he could not get Amanda yet there was going to be no way they could get away with her if he did loose track of them. Zenith and Tessa would have to decide what they were going to do once they found Ellie. He was not going to help. The remaining green would have to wait and he should know better than to get in his way or else he too would suffer Silver Claw's wrath.

The leaves of the undergrowth slapped his snout and chest as he ran and in several cases the branches covered in thorns pierced his hide causing long trails of blood to roll down his side but he didn't care. It would heal over time. The wound he could not bear was that in his heart. Amanda was his life, his mate, and his soul mate. If anything were to happen to her nothing would be safe from him. All would come to death if they dared to defy him and then he too would die.

In the distance he could hear the calls of Zenith and Tessa but he did not answer. Swiftly and quietly like a shadow in the night he raced through the jungle with an unwavering pace. In took him only minutes before he burst from the jungle and started across the field towards the helicopter and the rotting copse of the spinosaurus. At last he came to a stop beneath the tower of the helipad. He looked up and snarled with even more anger. No matter what happened, humans always seemed to separate him from his love, no more!

Silver Claw jumped as high as he could, only a few meters short of the top, and grabbed onto the wooden beams that crisscrossed the structure. He gripped what he could with his teeth and arched his back, placing his feet in a higher foothold. He continued doing this several times until his head looked out over the platform. Barely anything remained of the nest that the large birdlike creature had made and it was obviously not coming back now. Just then, Silver Claw noticed a pair of boots and realized that there was someone still watching the helicopter.

A deathly grin slowly grew upon his snout and he showed his teeth. This would be the first of many to feel his wrath this day. Quietly, Silver Claw climbed on the platform and looked in the open side of the helicopter. There was in fact a man there but also a woman, they were sleeping. They had their guns by their side but it was obvious that they were not expecting anything else he would not have made it up the tower. He began to circle to the open door at their side.

He felt it hard to silence himself. His anger was so much that he wanted to just jump on them and slay then where the lay, but he resisted. With a silent and precise motion, Silver Claw grabbed the guns, one by one, and threw them over the edge of the structure. He heard the light thud as the guns hit the ground and he showed his teeth. Before he woke them, he checked to make sure there were no more weapons around them or in sight and then he grabbed the male by his boots and dragged him out of the helicopter. The man did not wake as he hit the wooden platform and so Silver Claw dragged him to the edge.

A muffled cry caught his attention and Silver Claw looked back to the female that still lay in the helicopter. She was awake however and had her gaze fixed upon him. He saw the terror in her eyes and she reached around realizing there was nothing she could use to defend herself. Silver Claw snarled and raised his only killing claw.

"Jim!" The woman shrieked suddenly. The man awoke and his gaze met Silver Claw's in an instant. Silver Claw could smell the fear and see the sweat the poured down his pale face. Silver Claw snarled and the man backed away as fast as he could, not realizing where he was. A short lived scream came from him as he fell over the edge and a then a crack. Silver Claw glanced over the edge quickly to see his broken body lying next to the guns. He moved slightly but quickly ceased and remained motionless. He was dead.

The woman tried screaming but it came out only as a wheeze as if she was trying to draw breath but her throat was constricted. Silver Claw quickly approached her and leapt on top of her. He looked her in the eyes and raised his claw over her abdomen. But then something happened the he did not expect. He saw Amanda beneath him. However, he knew it could not be so. He looked around and then everything around him seemed to melt and then he found himself standing near the trailers again.

Those people were gone by now, what was happening? Suddenly, he saw himself and Sophia approaching the door to the trailer, ready to kill the humans inside. The door began to open and he shouted but it did not stop. He watched helplessly as the other Silver Claw leapt onto Amanda and then suddenly he felt light as if he was falling and everything returned to normal. He looked down at the woman beneath him. It was not Amanda but that woman he was going to kill.

The idea of killing her suddenly made him sick to his stomach. He couldn't do it now even if he wanted to. Gently he stepped off of her and stuck his head in the front compartment of the helicopter. He could still destroy it. Silver Claw grabbed what he could and ripped it, he found wiring and pulled it out as far as it would go without breaking and then he cut it with his claw. Sparks began to fly from the controls and one of the sparks landed on a sweater in the passenger seat. A small flame began to burn. His job was done he thought as the flames began to spread quickly.

Silver Claw jumped out of the helicopter to see the woman already running for her life and going down the stairs. He however moved to the edge and looked down. It was not high enough that he would cause himself serious injury if he jumped and so he did. He hit the ground and the muscles in his legs twitched painfully but it was not serious. Silver Claw headed towards the building just as the human got off the stairs and started for there as well. She shrieked and made a mad dash for the safety of the build with Silver Claw on her heels.

Just as he reached the corner to enter the building, the helicopter exploded. Silver Claw was hurled to the ground and a sharp pain exploded from his back and his chest. His vision flickered and he saw no more…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ellie's heart raced. She was running from the humans that had just shot the female green raptor and Amanda. Her eyes were darting back and forth searching the foliage for movement even though it was doubtful that she would see the remaining male before it was too late.

Ellie stopped for a moment to catch her breath and then the attack came. She was hurled to the ground so hard that she saw stars in her vision and it took her a moment to recover but when she did, her gaze met that of the remaining green. In his bright blue eyes she could see the rage that was consuming him, probably because of her shooting the other with him and the female.

"Beg for you life human and I might spare your life!" The male hissed sadistically. He pressed most of his weight on Ellie and had one of his claws over her abdomen. He twitched his claw enough that it tore a hole in her shirt that was a few centimeters long. "Beg for your life!" He shouted.

Ellie looked at him but said nothing. She couldn't understand most of what the raptor had said but she knew the general idea. "No," Ellie said while she reached into her right pocket. She received a hiss from the male and felt the cold, dirty claw puncture her skin but only enough to cause an enormous amount of pain. It was however not life threatening. Ellie screamed and swung her right arm at the raptor's side. Immediately he leapt away with a shriek louder that her own.

The male cursed and snarled. Tremors shook his body and he seemed to twist towards the point where Ellie had stabbed him. His left arm was hanging limp by his side. He looked at Ellie and snarled. "Next we meet human, I will kill you!" He turned and ran into the jungle.

Ellie stood panting. She had one hand covering her wound and the other holding the bloodied pocket knife. Suddenly, she dropped the knife and fell to the ground clasping her stomach. The wound it seemed had been aggravated when she stood up so quickly and she only made it larger and all the more serious. She put as much pressure as she could and it seemed to slow the bleeding. She knew she had to get out of the area because if experience told her anything, there was always another predator nearby. But first, she had to bandage her wound.

Ellie looked around but she knew she would not find anything useful around and she knew that her sleeves would do the trick. With a sigh, she stuck the knife into the hole that the raptor had torn in her shirt and hacked at the material. Once she was done, she realized that it was not enough. The cut was up and down, not across. She looked around frantically. There had to be something she could use.

A sound of rustling leaves caused her to freeze. She looked slowly over her shoulder to see the muzzle of a green. Her heart skipped a beat. Tremors ran throughout her body, she was going to die.

"Ellie," a familiar voice said softly. It was Zenith. Ellie sighed with relief and turned to face him. She was close enough that his foul breath washed over her and she shivered. It was not something she thought she would smell again after she left the island, the breath of a carnivorous dinosaur. "Your hurt," Zenith said softly and lowered his head to her wound. A long bead of drool rolled down his jaw and hit her bare skin.

"Yes I am. Do you think you could get me back to the cave? I left my stuff there." Ellie said. Zenith nodded and lowered himself so that she could get on. Ellie looked down for a moment and saw the reddening around his one foot. "What happened there?"

Zenith looked down. "I don't remember. It's not that bad though." He began to walk when Tessa came out of the brush. She stopped when she saw the blood on Zenith's side.

"I hope that's not yours Zenith," Tessa said but then saw the cut on Ellie's stomach. It was hard to tell exactly where the cut was because of the blood coming out of it was well as the blood smeared around. "That male attacked you?"

"He got the worst of it," Ellie said with a slight snicker in her voice. "I don't think he'll have use of his arm again." Ellie felt that she needed to prove that she was stronger than she appeared for some reason around Tessa even though she didn't really care what the raptor thought of her.

"What do you need to treat that wound?" Tessa turned away into the jungle with Zenith trailing behind her. Once she was informed of what Ellie needed, she told Zenith to go to a different place that was safer that the cave. Zenith stopped and looked at Ellie when she nodded in agreement, he started in the direction. With a final glance, he saw his mother disappear out of sight in the direction of the cave.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw awoke with a great heave and serge of pain throughout his body. His vision was dark but slowly it came into focus. Before him lay a smoldering piece of the tower, parts of the helicopter, and a weapon that he had missed but it was bent to the point it was no longer a treat.

He shook his head. He felt his heart throbbing and could hear it in his ears. When he tried to stand however, he couldn't. Silver Claw looked to his back to see one of the seats over him with a large metal rod through it and into the ground. A sharp pain caused him to howl in agony and he knew exactly what had happened, his chest again was hurt. It was not as serious as last time but he again had broken a rib.

Birds flew overhead screeching in panic. Something large was coming. Silver Claw looked at around but he could not see past the tall grasses. The wind however shifted and he recognized the smell, a ceratosaurus. Silver Claw struggled to free himself but his chest prevented him from doing so. In moment's he heard the heave footsteps of the carnivore growing ever closer. Soon, the short but large head emerged from the grasses and into view. It was a bright red in color and had a horn at the tip. A male in the mating season was the only reason it would be that color which made it all the more dangerous.

From what little he had heard about them, when they had a mate, a ceratosaurus would bring meals to the female in order to mate with her or else she would attack him on sight and more than likely kill him. An explosion shook the earth and a large piece of metal landed on top of Silver Claw. It was glowing in spots and only centimeters from his snout. The ceratosaurus however continued to move about. Then the relative silence was broken by a crunching and snapping of bones. The dinosaur had found the body of the male.

Silver Claw curled his tail as much as he could so that it would not be in view of the ceratosaurus. The footsteps closed in by him and he watched helplessly as the metal above his head vibrated. The great breaths of the dinosaur shook the air and then Silver Claw could only watch as the snout came into view at the end of the sheet. It sniffed heavily and then disappeared. Suddenly the sheet of metal was ripped away and the ceratosaurus stood staring at him.

Silver Claw snarled in defiance as the ceratosaurus moved closer to him. Its mouth opened and from the ground, Silver Claw could see the blackness of its throat and the long rows of teeth that would greet him before he reached it. A loud crackling sounded from the distance and the ceratosaurus bellowed in pain. It bit down on the chair by mistake and ran away into the jungle.

As fast as he could, Silver Claw jumped to his feet and saw that the humans were coming his way. They were armed and already aiming for him. The girl, whose life he had spared, was with them and had a look of revenge on her face. He however was too injured to even think of attacking them head on so he hobbled away from them as fast as he could using the building to hid himself as he made his escape. As the humans reached the corner of the building, Silver Claw entered the jungle. A single shot was fired at him but the bullet hit a tree not far from his head and he continued without further trouble.

"I'll find you yet Amanda," Silver Claw said as he turned towards the camp where the humans held his mate. He would not attack them headstrong again. How could he with his injuries? Once he was there, he would have to work out a plan to free Amanda and then Sophia if she were still alive when he got there.

The light gurgling of a stream came from somewhere nearby and so he slowly turned in the direction. He was too thirsty to ignore it. Silver Claw emerged from the foliage and saw the crystal clear water twinkling in the sunlight. He sniffed the air and then began to drink. He staggered a few times and but managed to keep his balance. As he turned into the jungle to head to the camp again, dizziness overcame him and he fell into a cluster of dry roots. They broke and he found himself in an underground tunnel. His eyes closed and he began to sleep…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kari opened her eyes and yawned. She looked at Cassandra and showed her teeth. This human was nothing like those described by her elders. If all humans were like her, she would rather live with them than with her own kind. Maybe the human lover was on to something when he chose to be with his human. Maybe it was just the females that were kind and maybe it was the males that were described in those stories. It didn't matter anyway. Kari shrugged it off and slowly slipped out from underneath Cassandra.

She stirred slightly but did not wake. Kari quietly walked out the door and headed down the tunnel. It crept her out that she could see the water around her but the material had lasted this long, it should last for a while yet, she hoped. At last Kari reached the ladder leading out of the tunnel and looked up. The hatch on the top was still open. With one look back, she began to climb. It was painstakingly long with several times that it seemed that she was going to fall but finally she peered out of the top. The building was clear so she crawled out.

Birds sang songs of joy and songs of sorrow. The wind rustled the leaves in the trees and rippled the surface of the water. Kari squinted as she stepped into the light and had to wait as her eyes adjusted to the difference. Soon she could see however and as with the building, the area was clear around her. Several leaves swirled and then sank to the ground near the jungle's edge but not much else moved.

Kari licked her parched lips and headed to the jungle. She knew better than to drink the water from the channels close to the sea. There had to be a stream nearby anyway so she moved silently as she passed the first trees of the darkened boarder of the jungle. If she found some food, she would eat her fill and take Cassandra some. Hopefully she would eat it.

The idea of Cassandra being a kind of adopted daughter entered Kari's mind again and made her show her teeth. It was a pleasant thought, having a daughter even if it wasn't one of the same species. It would only get harder to return her to her own kind as time went on however and Kari knew she would probably miss Cassandra's company. First things first however and that was their survival.

It did not take long before Kari could hear the gurgling of a stream and quickened her pace. A splash up ahead however made her freeze. It could be just a fish but then again, it could be another predator or prey. She heard no more sounds and proceeded cautiously, sniffing the air quietly for any hint of danger. She smelt the flowering plants but nothing else.

Kari stopped. The stream lay just beyond the bushes ahead of her. She sniffed the air once more but could smell nothing out of the ordinary and there were no sounds that would make her cautious of her surrounding so she slowly peered through the foliage. The stream was clear and calm save the odd ripple. On either side were muddy banks that glistened in the light. A flash of silver caught her eye. A fish lay flailing on the shore near a small cluster of rocks.

Instinct took over and pounced. The fish wriggled between her teeth but soon she had it chewed up and the movement was nearly gone. She tossed back her head and swallowed the fish whole. It was not like other, larger creatures where she could not digest the bones so she felt it was alright just to eat it as it was. A twinkle across the bank however made her realize what a mistake it had been to pounce on the fish. Slowly filling with water, a footprint, appearing to be that of a raptor, sat on the shore opposite. It was only minutes old and then she heard the rustling.

Kari turned to see a large male raptor leap out of the bushes beside her. It had dark blue scales, a red stripe going from head to tail, over a dozen feathers atop its head, and a pair of crimson eyes fixated on her. Before Kari could react however, a second raptor jumped out. It was a female with peppered white hide, a dark ridge and amber eyes.

Instinctively, Kari bowed her head in submission hoping that they would not kill her. She looked back and forth, there was no where to run and no where to hide. She could not fight off two raptors on her own, not when the got the jump on her. There was nothing she could do but wait. She dared not speak incase they attacker her because of it and she had to get back to Cassandra soon before she awoke.

"Who are you?" The male said raising his feathers in dominance over the submissive female. He waited a moment and stepped forward slightly with his claws ready to leap at a moments notice.

"K-K-Kari," she managed to say, "Please don't kill me." Kari stepped into the stream so that she was not closer to one than the other incase one of them made the first move.

"What are you doing here?" the male asked. He eased up upon hearing her frightened tone.

"Hunting and getting some water," Kari spoke quickly. Her eyes darted between the two and also the jungle to see if there were more in hiding of if there was any sort of path she might escape by.

"Are you by yourself?" This time the female asked the question. Her voice was soft and pleasant to hear but just as easily misleading. The female tensed her legs slightly and looked around warily as if unsure of her surroundings.

Kari didn't want to answer because she knew both answers made more problems than solutions. She decided she should find out if they were going to be hostile, "maybe. What are your names and what are you doing in my new home?"

"Your new home," the male said in near shock. "This land belongs to our pack, who are you to lay claim to it." He stepped forward menacingly but stopped short of a full out assault.

"I am Sunayana and this is my mate Blaze," the female said in a more forgiving tone than the male. "This is our pack's territory so why are you here."

"Well," Kari swallowed slightly, "Sunayana, I've left my pack and came north looking for a new home, maybe a new pack if they would be willing to accept myself and one other." Kari knew she was taking a risk when she said it but she didn't know how to deal with other raptor packs and she knew it may be the death of her.

"One other you say," Sunayana looked around. She took two large steps forward and with her snout only centimeters from Kari's side, she sniffed, taking in any scents that clung to her, "Another female? Is she from your old pack as well?"

"Yes," Kari said, "and no, she isn't exactly from my pack. I'm not going to show you where she is though until I know you won't harm her. She's my daughter."

"Your daughter," Sunayana said softly, "I can understand that. It seemed you're quite the fighter by the number of scars on your back and sides." Sunayana circled around until she stood by Blaze and gently touched her tail to his.

"No, those are from the males of my pack trying to forcefully mate with me." Kari moved away from the two raptors slightly, they gave her a chance but she wasn't going to take it just yet. "Why are you here, I don't think I've seen you around. Were you the ones that killed the humans?"

"Humans," Sunayana questioned. "There were humans here?" She lifted her head and sniffed the air more heavily than before. "I smell nothing that would make me think there were."

"There are some buildings nearby that I found them in, or at least were in." Kari hoped they would not go investigate if she told them that the humans were dead. "I believe they were all killed. I looked for the bodies this morning however and they were gone."

"Could you show us where these buildings are?" Blaze asked. He saw the hesitation however as Kari tried to come up with an answer. "Your daughter is there isn't she?"

"No," Kari said quickly and loudly. "She most certainly is not. Those human buildings are dangerous and she could get hurt in one of them." Kari felt as if she should run now and try to loose them before heading back to the buildings and getting Cassandra out of there.

"We should still check it out anyway incase there are more humans there," Blaze said. He started to turn slightly and then noticed the tension in Kari as she watched him.

"What are you going to do with the humans if you find any," Kari quickly in hopes of delaying them. "Are you just going to kill them?" Suddenly several birds flew overhead chasing a larger bird, the sounds they made were atrocious and loud. Kari dared not look up as she saw the two raptors before her look up.

"Not unless a human attacks us first," Sunayana said. "We understand humans better than you could possible know. We know what they respond to and what they'll do more than likely. I don't feel like killing any of them even if they attack me first." Sunayana looked down. "You probably would though."

Kari snarled and raised her claws instinctively but then realized that she was making herself appear more of a threat than anything else. She quickly backed down and lowered her head again. She knew full well that she now looked suspicious of hiding something.

Then the sound came that made Kari's heart sink. "Where are you? Where did you go?" The words spoken in the human language drifted through the air directed to Kari but unbeknownst to Cassandra other predators were lurking about…


	45. Dodgson Escapes

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 45: Dodgson Escapes

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author note: By the looks of the poll there will be no lesbian relationship but there will be a sex scene between Amanda and Silver Claw. This scene may be offensive to some so when I do write it, I will put a warning in front of it and at the end so that those who wish to may skip over it. Sorry for taking so long to update.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kari stood as a statue, unmoving and fixed looking in a single direction. Her heart however was racing at a pace she did not know it could reach. Cassandra had made the biggest mistake any youngling could make. She called out like a hatchling for its mother when it was supposed to keep quiet.

There was only one thing Kari could do to protect Cassandra but first she had to reach Cassandra before the raptors. With a sudden leap, Kari shoved past the two raptors before her, nearly knocking them aside in her urgency to reach Cassandra. Even as she lost sight of the two raptors behind her, she could hear their quickening pace as they began to pursue her.

Branches and vines lashed Kari's snout while several thorny shrubs laid their barbs deep under her scales. The pain was excruciating but she could not stop, not now. The jungle began to thin and she could see the light where the trees grew farther apart. But then, a sound that horrified Kari came like a lancing talon. Cassandra screamed!

Kari broke through the jungle and saw a herrerasaurus sink its teeth into Cassandra's arm. "No," Kari roared so loudly that the herrerasaurus released Cassandra and looked at the threat that could possibly try to take its meal. With a second roar greater than the first, Kari sprang forth like a bolt of lightning and leapt at the dinosaur that dared to attack her child.

The herrerasaurus howled as Kari's claws sank deep into its flesh creating several long wounds that spilled hot, crimson blood over the ground and over Kari's body. With a near graceful motion, Kari sank her teeth into the neck of the beast and with one claw spilt open its belly and with the other cut the ligament that allowed its right leg to move. In an instant the herrerasaurus was on the ground. Its muscles twitched but it was still alive. Blood oozed out of its mouth and stained the ground as it made gurgling sounds while trying to call for help.

Kari stood over her crippled and dying victim and sank her jaws into the hole she made. Then with a heavy tug of her head she ripped out the beating heart of the dinosaur to ensure it died. She tossed back her head and swallowed the piece of flesh and then made a low, rumbling growl. She had conquered her foe!

The cloud of rage that had engulfed her mind faded but she felt the urge to eat all she could from her kill. She then remembered Cassandra and turned around. The girl sat wide eyed with her hand over the wound on her arm. Her body trembled from the shock of being bitten and of what she had just seen. Kari looked up and she could see her reflection in the mirror surface of the windows behind Cassandra.

Her brown body was crimson with blood and in all she looked like some crazed beast that was killing everything in her path, much like the disease that would occasionally take carnivores and prey alike. Grief filled Kari. She did it to save Cassandra but in the process scared her. That was something she never wanted to do.

The bushes rustled and out stepped the two raptors. Kari hissed and jumped onto the carcass of the herrerasaurus. She growled and barked at them repeatedly. "This kill is mine and the human is under my protection. If you wish to live then leave this place before I slay you too."

"Under your protection," the female stated with some confusion. "We wish to protect her from you." Kari growled menacingly. "By looks of it you have scared her more than we ever could have."

Kari's eyes softened upon hearing it from another and looked at Cassandra. Her face was pale and she was shaking. Kari lowered her and slowly started to move to Cassandra while keeping a weary eye on two raptors. She stood watching her for a moment and then touched her bloodied snout to Cassandra's chest. In an instant, Cassandra pulled Kari into an embrace such that Kari didn't dare try to pull free. She could see the tears rolling down her face and when Kari could no longer take it, her gaze turned back to the two raptors only to find they had disappeared…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda yawned lazily as she awoke. Her body was stiff and sore from being in the cage so long and she groaned in discomfort. She opened her eyes to see several pairs of legs inches from the bars of her prison. From the initial tone of their voices, they were not pleased about something. Amanda smiled but soon she was in fear for her life.

"That god damned beast killed Jim," a man roared. "We should kill its precious mate and hang her body from a tree to bleed." The man stomped his foot and then kicked the cage. "You sick animal fucking bitch!" He kicked the cage again and then Amanda heard the crackle of a shock stick. "I'm going to make you suffer!"

Amanda screamed as the electricity seared her shoulder. The man shocked her several more times and then spit at her but it only clung to the bars. He kicked the cage for a third time and just as he went to shock her again when suddenly a woman stepped in the way and stopped him.

"You sadistic bastard, leave her alone. She didn't do anything to you!" The female voice shouted in anger and disgust. Amanda watched as the prod was tossed aside and then she heard the loud snap of a heavy slap to the face.

Amanda watched as the man walked away first and then a few moments afterward, the woman. They soon disappeared into two separate tents and she saw that the prod had been left only a few feet from the cage. Amanda looked around carefully to see that the others had their attention elsewhere so that she might have a chance though she didn't know what she would do if confronted with a gun. With a single glance to Sophia, she reached out of the bars but found her fingers just a few inches short of their goal.

Suddenly, a foot came down on her hand and she winced. A hand reached down and picked up the prod and then with a swift motion it extended to its full length with an electric snap. Amanda feared she would receive another shock but it did not come. The man walked away and disappeared into one of the tents. A yelp came from within and then a heated argument irrupted.

"So close," Amanda whispered between jagged breaths as her heart continued to beat erratically. She whimpered and leaned against the bars closest to Sophia so that she could feel she was close to someone who actually cared for her well being. "I don't know how much longer I can take being hit with that thing," Amanda murmured quietly, almost to the point of being unable to be heard. "I hope the others are coming up with something."

"You're strong Amanda, stronger than even some raptors." Sophia turned her head to look Amanda in the eyes but couldn't meet them so her gaze turned down. "They've hit you with that thing more than they have me, how can humans be so cruel to their own kind? Even the Tyrannous isn't that cruel."

Amanda gasped as a gentle breeze assailed her burns and sent waves like needles through her body and to her mind. As quick as she could, Amanda cupped her hand over one of the wounds but even the lightest touch was too much. "Silver Claw will come for us for sure, just wait and see…" Amanda tried not to but tears began to role down her cheek and she started to cry softly. "He has to. He has to," Amanda whispered to herself.

"He already killed one of them, there isn't much more for him to take down. He would hunt them to the ends of the island and beyond so long as they had you." Sophia showed her teeth and was able to meet Amanda's gaze at last. "He will not stop until he has you safely in his arms. He will come and these people will wish they were never born."

Amanda reached out and placed her hand against Sophia's side as if to say she understood everything she was trying to do but no long felt like talking. Slowly, Amanda began to rub Sophia's side. Amanda soon felt the gentle breath of Sophia was over her hand and then a reassuring nuzzling.

"You really do understand each other don't you," Kathy said softly in noticeably upset tone. "You know I saw the one these guy's are calling your mate. He killed a dear friend of mine, Jim. I just want to know why? Why would he kill someone that had done nothing to him?" She sighed, "Maybe Dodgson is right, dinosaurs are mindless killing machines meant only to slaughter everything in their path. I guess that's why he destroyed the helicopter and nearly killed himself in the process. That stupid oil I guess was what caught fire, why did they have to spill it on the seats?"

"He nearly killed himself," Amanda said softly. "What happened? What were you doing?" Amanda received only a sorrowful look for the longest time but then Kathy placed her right hand against one of the bars.

"Jim and I were sleeping in the back of the helicopter and then when I woke, I heard a noise so I sat up. That thing was standing over Jim and then I screamed and then Jim woke. He backed away and fell off the platform and died." Kathy began to weep. "It then jumped on me and had its claws over me and I looked into his eyes and saw a merciless killing machine but then they seemed to glaze over and for a moment he did nothing. After that, it shook its head and went into the front of the helicopter and began to rip everything apart. I ran and shortly after the helicopter blew up."

"Oh my…," Amanda was filled with fear, fear that Silver Claw could be hurt and there probably wasn't any other around with him. Then there was that green that would surely try to kill him if it found him. "What happened after?"

"The others arrived and scared off this big creature and tried shooting your 'mate' and he ran off into the jungle. We haven't seen him since. We did look for him a little but couldn't find him. We heard barking but nothing else." Kathy sat on the ground and placed her elbows on her knees. "I still don't understand why he would attack us when we have the advantage."

"He's in love," Amanda said. "Every moment we are apart it almost feels like we are dying. We need each other. Have you ever felt true love, if you have then you know how much it hurt to be apart. Now imagine what it feels like to know the other is suffering and you can't do anything to stop it."

Kathy looked away and reached behind her back, she set a water bottle just inside the bars and said, "I thought you might be thirsty and I don't know but it could help if you pour it on your injuries." With that, she stood up and walked away.

Amanda watched quietly as Kathy disappeared into the tent before she grabbed the water bottle. With an easy twist, she took of the lid and smelled it. It seemed like water so she took a long drink to quench her thirst had had built up since she had been captured. She did not however finish the bottle and instead reached across the gap between cages and allowed Sophia to finish it off.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silver Claw's head throbbed as his eyes opened sluggishly. His heart was pounding in his chest and he ached everywhere. With a heavy snort, he cleared the dust from his nostrils. Slowly, Silver Claw lifted his head and looked up out of the hole he was in. Through a small clearing in the trees he could see the sky, blue with a light tint of pink. It was not dusk yet but it would be soon.

The sound of multiple foot steps quickly caught his attention. In moments, the hole he had fallen into was surrounded by the small, green compsognathus. They bobbed their heads and made an eerie squeaking that chilled most animals because they knew what happed if too many were to bite. For now at least, Silver Claw was safe in the knowledge they would not jump down until they knew for sure how injured he was.

With an awkward movement, he got to his feet and leaned against the wall of the tunnel for support. He looked up again and saw that they had begun bobbing their heads faster, they knew he was weak. Silver Claw made a threatening growl which only seemed to entice them more. Then finally, one leapt down and sank its tiny teeth into his back. With a swift motion, Silver Claw slammed against the wall opposite and crushed the tiny creature. The others backed away slightly but continued bobbing their heads.

Silver Claw looked up and snarled at them. It had no effect on them. Suddenly, they scattered and Silver Claw could hear something coming and quickly. He couldn't fight off another carnivore, not now so he moved into the darkness and peered cautiously at the hole. Soon he heard a kind of panting and saw a creature smaller than he circling the hole. It was covered in fur and was wagging its tail. It barked once and sat down though its tale continued to wag. It was the creature he had seen Amanda with, a dog.

With a cock of his head, he stepped out of the shadows enough so that the creature could see him. Immediately, the animal yelped and whimpered before backing up and running off into the jungle. Silver Claw snorted and looked down. Amanda, he thought, where are you? A moment passed and he looked to the hole again. There was no way he would be able to leap back up, that meant that there was only one way to go and that was into the darkness.

Silver Claw turned and headed into the intimidating darkness. With a final look at the sky he started down the narrow passage. The ground was moist where there were no rocks and roots stuck out in many place. In some places, ancient leaves littered the ground and the occasional the sound of a beetle scurrying amongst them seemed to echo forever.

Minutes passed and Silver Claw could smell only the damp decay of the tunnel's floor. At least it seemed that there were no carnivores lurking in the shadows but he could not see anything and he was forced to rely on his sense of smell and hearing to navigate. And yet, he found himself hitting the tunnel wall. In the distance, a faint echo drew his attention, a constant _drip_, _drip_, _drip_.

The sound grew louder and louder until he rounded a sharp corner in the tunnel, scraping along a stone-like surface and found that he was staring into a large and near empty room. Faint flickering lights lit up enough of the room that he could see the far side but yet it was not enough to have let him know what was around the corner. With a cautious sniff of the air, Silver Claw entered the room. The air was stale, but some how less than even the tunnel. The ground he stepped onto was like stone but soon he found himself in an uncomfortable stance over a large metal grate that ran the length of the room. Beneath it, he could see a slight shimmering like water but by the smell, a foul rotting smell like a kill left in the sun for days, it would not be safe to drink even if he could reach it.

Silver Claw stepped off the grate and headed towards the door but then a sound came from behind it and through an opening in the upper region of the door he could see a brighter light, more than that of anything in the room he currently occupied. Cautiously, Silver Claw turned his head to one side and peered into the area beyond. To his surprise, the area behind the door was a staircase with a sign hanging from the roof that he recognized to be an "Exit" sign as Amanda had pointed out to him on several occasions. The he heard a sound that sent him into a panic, someone was coming, their voices were growing steadily louder and it would not be long before they were in view.

As quickly as he could, Silver Claw hobbled across the room and into the tunnel. As soon as he disappeared into the darkness, the door opened, flooding the room with light but not enough to light the tunnel. Two men stepped out, one tall and slim with a bright yellow shirt and blue jeans while the other was stout with a balding hear, green shorts and a red shirt. The tall man reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a cigarette, quickly lighting it.

With a deep exhale, the tall man said, "I hate this fucking job. This is not what I signed on for." He took another inhale of smoke and exhaled heavily. "I mean we're cooped up on this island and for what? Five people died when that thing escaped and we were barely able to catch it before it reached the surface. Imagine what would have happened if it had been able to lay its eggs?"

"Holy shit, I never thought of that. The damn military and its precious research project will be the death of us. I say we say fuck off to SynTech and get the hell off this island before another escape," said the stout man. He took out a flask and gulped its contents until it was empty and then tossed it onto the grate. A low hiss came from the darkness below. "What the hell, did another lizard get in there?"

"Doesn't it lead to the ocean?" The man took another puff of his cigarette.

"Yeah I think so," The stout man said and stepped over to the grate, "I don't see anything? Why did they make this so large in the first place?" A pair of eye lifted out of the water and the man backed away. "Fuck, I think it's a crocodile!"

"I think we should tell…" The man didn't get a chance to finish as the creature burst from the grate and impaled the closer of the two on large serrated teeth. A bloodied choke came from the man and then he disappeared into the water with a splash. In seconds, the creature burst from the water again and made for the tall man headed for the door. He couldn't close the door in time however and screamed as his ankle was ripped to pieces upon the first bite while the second bite ripped his foot off.

Silver Claw was nearly in shock at the sight, he had never seen such a creature nor did he want to again. Slowly, he began to back away as he watched the creature rip open the man spilling crimson blood across the cold floor. The creature turned enough for Silver Claw to see it as a whole. It was a burnt orange in color with a pale, almost white, underside. It stood on four long legs but yet its head resembled that of a large carnivorous dinosaur like the tyrannosaurus. Powerful muscles ripped under its skin all the way to the thick tail which was the length of its body.

Expecting to hit the wall at any moment, Silver Claw moved his tail from side to side in search of it but only found another passageway. Gun shots soon rang out and he watched as several armed men chased the beast back into the pipes and several even jumped in after it. Those who remained above the pipe continued shooting at the beast. A man cursed the creature as it dragged its first victim by the leg as it attempted to escape.

Silver Claw decided he had overstayed his welcome and turned down the new tunnel. Shots echoed even as he rounded a corner some ways away but he was thankful that it was not he that the men were after. Feeling safe enough, Silver Claw slowed his pace a little and became more aware of his surroundings. The ground was dirt but it was moist and he felt droplets of water roll down his side from time to time. He must be close to a water source Silver Claw thought. There were no leaves underfoot but he felt the tangled mess of roots above him and at times he ducked his head incase a large root had made its way this far underground.

A realization slowly crept into Silver Claw's mind, how deep was he underground? The old fears he had thought he had gotten over suddenly overwhelmed him. His muscles shook with fearful tremors. What if the ground collapsed? What if the tunnel flooded? What if something was waiting for him around the next corner? What if he got lost and never found a way out, would he starve to death? A whimper escaped him as these thoughts and more poured through his mind. But then like a shining beacon, he realized there was a faint light some ways away from him. It was natural and not human made.

Breaking the fearful paralysis, Silver Claw moved as quickly as he dared towards the light. Very soon he was beneath it and looked up. The hole was not very large but entangles by vines and roots. By Amanda's measurements of distance that she had vaguely explained to him, he was about a meter and a half from the surface and that was just to the top of the tunnel, another quarter of a meter above him. So close but yet so far, Silver Claw looked up with a depressed sigh.

A sound soon came that terrified him. Somewhere within the perpetual darkness came the sound of falling rocks and a separate splash. There was something else living in the tunnel and it seemed to be coming his way. Silver Claw's pace quickened and with this burst of adrenaline, he attempted to climb up but the soil gave way and he was unable to make it more than a few feet.

The normally stale air was suddenly filled with the smell of fresh blood, human blood. Silver Claw looked into the darkness and a pair of eyes, glowing in an evil red, stared back at him. They were the eyes of a predator. The familiar hiss drifted out of the darkness and Silver Claw put aside his fear and brought the thought of being with Amanda at the front of his mind. Then slowly, the creature immerged from the dark depths, a body in tow. The beast scraped the roof but yet was not as wide as the tunnel.

With a sudden leap forward, the creature rushed forward at Silver Claw and tried to pin him to the ground until its first meal was finished. Silver Claw however moved to the side and was nearly crushed in retaliation by the creature as it attempted to slam him against the wall. With the little strength he had left and a luck swing, Silver Claw caught the calf muscle of the creature's back leg and temporarily crippled it. Silver Claw saw his chance, the massive size of the creature presented the opportunity to reach the top and he took it.

Silver Claw leapt onto the back of the creature, digging his claws in for support and then grasped at what he could of the roots and vines to pull him up. He managed just in time as the beast recovered and since it could not simply turn around, began to back up. Silver Claw shoved his head through the growths at the top of the hole and could see nothing but brush. Anything was safer than what awaited him below so after digging his claws into the roots shoved his way out but not soon enough. As clamored out of the hole, a sharp pain erupted from the tip of his tail and he shrieked in pain and then with a high pitched growl kicked at the source. The beast howled as Silver Claw's only killing claw raked across its face and cut open one eye.

With a sudden twist, Silver Claw was on his feet and snapping at the unprotected flesh of the beast, tearing and eating large chunks as the creature attempted to retreat into the dark. At last it was able to break the roots holding it and sank into the darkness leaving only a bloodied trail as evidence of its arrival. With a final defiant hiss from the safety of the cave, the creature retreated to nurse its wounds and eat what was left of its meal.

A low rumbling triumphant growl came from Silver Claw and he slowly turned away from the hole. Blood dripped from his jaws and he was a little less hungry. A quick glance at his tail was all he needed to know that it was not life threatening unless it became infected. Several holes marked where the creature's long teeth had punctured his flesh but it had not the chance to fully drag its teeth back and cause greater damage.

The forest was quiet and still. Neither bird nor insect stirred while in Silver Claw's presence. The wind even seemed to be afraid of him as it did not move a single leaf in the still trees. The ground however crunched underfoot as he moved through the undergrowth. The scents were not as familiar as he wished they would be but soon he knew where he was, south of the human camp he so despised and wished that he could slay them all for coming between he and his mate, his love.

As Silver Claw headed in the direction of the camp a familiar scent crossed his path and he began to salivate. Parasaurolophus, a common prey item of his old pack. The smell was too inviting and he had to check it out. Within minutes, his gaze fell upon a herd of a dozen of the massive animals. Each measured almost ten meters long from head to tail and each was foraging noisily with loud bellows between stripping branches. If only he had a pack to attack them with. A single creature would last several days. If only…Silver Claw had a sudden realization, if he were to attack the creatures they would stampede. The only thing standing between him and Amanda were the humans and that fence, the probably wouldn't realize the fence was there until it was too late and they had plowed through it. That was it, but he had to act fast, the boost of adrenaline was fading and his fatigue was growing.

As he had done before on many occasions, Silver Claw circled the herd quietly the only difference was that no pack awaited the frightened animals. When he felt his position was perfect, Silver Claw leap from the brush and roared as loud as he could. The parasaurolophus honked and bellowed in fear of the predator and thundered in the other direction. Silver Claw gave chase, he had to make sure they would go the direction he wanted and not stray. Within moments, the first hit the fence in a painful cry but kept going. Another moment and the first had reached and gone through the other side but did not stop. A few gunshots rang out but soon panicked calls came from the men and women within the camp. It was not the herd that was the source of panic however and Silver Claw soon realized that a herrerasaurus had been waiting outside the fence for a chance to get inside, a chance given to it by Silver Claw.

As Silver Claw stepped past the mangled fence and into the camp, he saw a larger man in screaming agony as the herrerasaurus ripped at his stomach while the others shot at the beast. Silver Claw's attention was on the three undefended cages however and their frightened occupants. As fast as he could on his stiffening legs, Silver Claw made his way to the cages and looked at Amanda sorrowfully. She looked as if she had taken a beating in a fight and lost. That didn't matter now, she was alive and that's all that matter to him.

Silver Claw released the latch on Amanda's cage first but before he could reach Sophia's cage, Amanda's arms were around him and he felt her gentle but passionate kiss upon his snout. And then, he heard her crying. There wasn't time though. It would not be long before the humans realized what was going on. Without words, he directed Amanda onto his back and then opened Sophia's cage. Sophia licked him on the cheek as a thank you and soon they were headed to the fence. Sophia however released the latch on the remaining cage before racing to catch Silver Claw.

A single glance was all Silver Claw spared as he entered the jungle. But in the glance, he saw the man responsible for it all escaping while the others continued to fight off the creature. His revenge would have to wait however and he continued into the jungle. He had made it no further than a hundred meters away from the camp when fatigue overwhelmed him and his eyes rolled up mid step. His felt as if he were upon a soft cushion as his body felt to the ground, darkness consumed him…


	46. Trouble Abound

Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 46: Trouble Abound

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Author Note: Sorry for the delay but I went on a vacation and was without Internet access.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kari leapt off the ladder and bit down on the sizable chunk of her kill so that she didn't drop it. A few bloody drops of saliva fell from her jaw and stained the concrete floor. Slowly, she looked to the top of the ladder in time to see Cassandra lock the hatch and begin her slow descent. Kari felt terrible for not being able to reach Cassandra before the herrerasaurus attacked her and that terrible feeling grew with the thought of a possible infection because of the bite. Raptors, she knew, had resilience to infection because they too were predators but it always depended upon the bite, every one was different and every one could be the last.

At last Cassandra reached the bottom of the ladder and followed Kari down the tunnel to their home, though that became a source of trouble to Kari. What if the other raptors had stayed around and found out where she and Cassandra were hiding? What if they had a pack nearby? Kari was troubled but at least Cassandra was alive. If she wanted to stay alive however, they needed to find some way to communicate. For now however it seemed they were safe and hopefully that would last the night. Until morning, Kari would just focus on caring for Cassandra, all else could be put aside for now.

Halfway down the tunnel, they were greeted by the soothing songs of the marine creatures. It helped to ease some of Kari's worry but not all of it. She still felt tense about the fact she was under so much water but the tunnel seemed safe enough and it had held since the humans left. As they entered the observation area overlooking the pool, Kari felt just a little calmer and shifted her jaws slightly, moving the flesh between them and tempting her with the taste of blood. She did not eat it however. Kari had decided that the chunk of meat was for Cassandra because if she was going to survive with a raptor, then she would need to feed like one.

Cassandra headed down the stairway first to where she had her belongings and a makeshift bed. Kari soon followed but felt less at home. She longed for the soft earth under a nest made of mud and grasses. It somehow felt more forgiving than the solid floor she hoped not to grow accustomed to. In moments, Kari reached the bottom of the stairs and then watched as Cassandra walked to and sat upon her bed. It was not long before Cassandra reached for the last few bars beneath her pillow.

Kari decided this would be the best time for her to at least try to get Cassandra to try real food. Kari walked over to Cassandra and set the chunk of bleeding flesh beside her only to receive a disgusted look from Cassandra. "Of all the places you have to place that, you had to place it on _my_ bed!"

Kari would not be deterred by Cassandra and instead nudged the flesh towards her. Cassandra however only moved away and went to open a bar. Kari acted quickly to seize the bar and set it out of reach before picking up the meat and setting it on Cassandra's lap. In an instant, the color drained from Cassandra's face and she turned as pale as she was after the attack.

"Are you giving this to me-e-e?" Cassandra said with a stutter and nearly gagged on the mere thought of eating raw flesh. The only response she received was Kari nudging the flesh over her leg, causing juices to roll down her legs. Cassandra cringed as the chunk, warm enough to know it was fresh but cool enough to send chills up her spine, continued to ooze blood and saliva. "I really hope that you don't expect me to eat this!"

Kari nudged the meat again and grabbed the other bars when she saw Cassandra eying them. Again, she set the bars out of reach and watched patiently for Cassandra to at least try it. Humans had better not be this stubborn all the time, Kari thought while she licked her lips of the remains of her kill, her tongue slipping between her teeth and dislodging smaller chunks. Cassandra seemed unable to even touch it and only stared blankly at Kari. After a minute passed, Kari's patience was running low and she picked up the chunk of meat and pressed it against Cassandra's lips and tried to force a small portion into her mouth. The meat however bent upwards and prevented Cassandra from breathing from her nose and after a moment, Kari was able to force part of the meat into Cassandra's mouth as she gasped for air.

Cassandra immediately tried biting down to stop the meat from entering her mouth but it was too late and her teeth cut through a softened area. A sizable chunk became lodged behind her teeth. She tried but was unable to spit it out. Something inside her told her to just get it over with while the rest of her screamed to spit it out and get away from this creature. She looked at Kari and saw a look in her eyes that was similar to what her mother would look on her with. The look was calm and caring and most of all soft, nothing like that of a mindless monster. At last, Cassandra felt there was no other way to get out of it because the creature before her may just try again later. And so, she shifted her jaws and began to chew it. The taste was like nothing she had ever tasted before, it was bland at first with only the metallic taste of blood but then she found a taste not so different from a light exotic spice she had had only once before but had left a lasting impression in her mind.

Kari looked on with approval as Cassandra swallowed bit by bit the meat in her mouth. After a while, when she finished, Kari presented her with more. It seemed she had changed the human's mind about meat because she took it but unlike a raptor, she tore pieces off with her hand instead of digging into it with her mouth. It didn't matter to Kari, she finally found a proper source of food for Cassandra and it was something she could get easily. After a few moments, Kari rested beside Cassandra and began to lick her gently on the neck as a mother would when cleaning a hatchling after a day of play. Kari began to make a purring sound; she had truly found someone to share a home with.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tessa stopped outside the entrance to the cave and sniffed the air before snarling. She smelt human, an injured human, one she didn't recognize. Slowly, Tessa stepped into the cave, keeping a watchful eye on the interior more than the exterior. She proceeded slowly and carefully, checking the large boulders as she went just in case something was waiting in ambush.

Soon, Tessa found the bag that Ellie had needed but when she looked inside, she found it lacking the one item she needed, the medical items that Ellie had described. The injured human must have taken it. Then suddenly, a painful cry came from deeper within the cave and Tessa snarled. Quickly but not so quietly, she raced deeper into the cave and leapt over the boulder hiding the human. She stopped short of digging her claws into people when she realized just who they were, or at least one of them. Tom was knelt over a man wiping a foul smelling liquid over the wound.

Tessa took a moment to look over the stunned and frightened people before she grabbed the case in her mouth and raced out of the cave. They were not a concern of hers, it was getting dark and she would have to find Zenith and Ellie.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amanda sat quietly, stroking Silver Claw's head and listening intently on her surroundings. She was hiding between several large boulders that provided a well protected refuge from carnivores. Tall trees stood on either side of the five entrances while thick shrubs grew around their base and made it impossible to get in without making a sound.

With a soft sigh, Amanda leaned over and kissed Silver Claw on his red crest. She had stopped crying a few hours earlier but every now and again, a tear would slip out. He was alive and as far she and Sophia could tell only unconscious. Silver Claw seemed as if he had gone through hell and back just to reach them but even more troubling was then fact that he had collapsed suddenly. Amanda hoped that the slight twitches of his eyelids were a good sign that he would wake soon.

The jungle was unusually quiet but there seemed to be no carnivores around which seemed odd to Amanda unless the wildlife was fearful of her and an unconscious velociraptor. A distant honking made her very aware of the area and overly cautious. She knew that the parasaurolophus were frightened by something and shortly after, the tyrannosaur's roar confirmed her original idea. It was far enough away that she didn't have reason to fear it but she also knew that other carnivores were hunting and at any moment she could be found by one.

Her fears were soon confirmed when the brush nearby rustled. Immediately, Amanda let out a ferocious raptor call in a hope to scare away what ever it was but her fears were soon eased when she heard a voices reply to her call.

"Settle down Amanda," Sophia said as she peered through the brush. "I couldn't find Ellie or Zenith. I did find blood however and I think it is from both a human and velociraptor. It may not have been Ellie though." Sophia emerged from the brush and laid a young compsognathus before Amanda. "I thought you could use some real food. It was sniffing around here." Sophia settled down not far from Silver Claw and looked him over quickly to see if anything had changed since she left.

"He's still the same as when you left." Amanda placed her hand over his feathers and gently played with them. "I think he might wake up soon though. His eyes seemed to me moving a lot under his eyelids." She sighed sadly. "Do you have any idea were Zenith may have gone?"

"I think he returned to the cave but I can't be sure. I wasn't about to leave you and Silver Claw alone for any length of time. After I heard that tyrannosaurus I decided it was best to come back and check on you."

"Thank you," Amanda said and picked up the compsognathus. She examined the bite marks in its neck and it seemed that Sophia had come up behind the creature and killed it before it could make a sound. When she went to take a bite, a sudden feeling made her sick to her stomach and she couldn't bring herself to eat it. With a sigh, Amanda said, "I can't eat it. I'm not feeling... maybe Silver Claw will need it more than me, that is when he wakes up."

Sophia noticed a tremor go through Amanda's body. She cocked her head and said softly, "Are you cold Amanda?"

"A little," Amanda said softly, "the air is pretty cool and I think the temperature is still dropping." Amanda looked down at Silver Claw and back at Sophia. "Are you feeling a little bit of a chill at all?"

"I feel fine," Sophia replied. "Let's see how Silver Claw is doing." Sophia stood up and moved to Silver Claw's side. Slowly, she lowered head and rested the bottom of her jaw against his neck. "His breathing is fine but he too feels a little cold." Sophia settled down right against Silver Claw, "I think it would be best if we were to sleep close together tonight. I think both of you could use the warmth." Sophia shifted so that a space large enough for Amanda was between Sophia and Silver Claw. "Sleep here, I'm not sure how humans warm themselves but I think it would be best if you were between us."

Amanda wiped a tear from her eye and crawled between Sophia and Silver Claw. She slipped under one of Silver Claw's arm and placed her legs between his. However, she rested with her back to his stomach and brought his scaled, three-fingered hand to her face and settled in for the night.

"Thank you Sophia," Amanda said softly. She reached out and touched her hand to Sophia's jaw before gently rubbing it. In response, Sophia purred softly and then nuzzled Amanda's hand. After a moment, Amanda pulled her hand away and placed it over Silver Claw's hand. "Good night Sophia."

Sophia watched quietly as Amanda's eyes closed sluggishly until finally, she was asleep. Sophia then moved herself so that she was not pressed against Amanda but close enough to help keep her warm. However, Sophia did not sleep, something was close but she couldn't identify it. Every once in a while, she sniffed the air and then turned her head to check the entrances to the area. Finally she had enough of the feeling and stood up quietly. She made sure Amanda was not waking up and then slipped through the brush.

The jungle was dark, made darker by the thick canopy above. The birds had all fallen asleep but the insects were as alive as during the day with a constant song made quiet only as a potential predator passed by. Sophia circled the boulders to ensure nothing was in the immediate vicinity and once she had ensured it was clear, she headed further outward following a circular pattern from the shelter. She stopped momentarily in a small glade and observed a small hairy creature scampering amongst the branches of a nearby tree before disappearing into a hole in a tree. Only the large eyes appeared from the hole to watch cautiously as Sophia passed by. However, Sophia was uninterested in killing such a small prey.

Sophia felt a stronger sense that she was being watched and looked around warily. For a moment, she looked into the sky where the canopy had opened. The sky was a brilliant display of stars in bright clusters and of course the lonely stars that seemed dim by comparison. A bright light streaked across the sky so quickly and faded just as fast that if Sophia had not been looking, she would never have seen it. But her attention was soon drawn back to the ground and she could hear a soft rustling in the brush across the glade.

From the dark emerged a lone figure, the female raptor that had been trapped beside Amanda. She had her head hung low and her body was in a submissive position. She showed no sign that she was going to strike. "Your name is Sophia, is it not?"

Sophia cocked her head but soon answered, "It is. Why were you following me?"

"I'm sorry but I thought that if I appeared in your shelter that you would have killed me on sight." The female showed her throat and made a low rumbling sound. She then stood upright and said, "My name is Fire Fang and I am the hatchling of Swift Strike, my father, and The Scarred One, my mother."

"What do you want and why did you present yourself as if this were a meeting between pack leaders when one pack was defeated?" Sophia said in almost a harsh manner. She turned most of her attention to the jungle around her in case the male was nearby. However, she wanted to return to Amanda in case she was the one in danger.

"I mean you no harm Sophia. That is why I did it. Unlike my brethren, I am not stubborn beyond reason. I have come to ask forgiveness for troubling you, Amanda, and Silver Claw. I also hope that I may be allowed to join your group. It is obvious that you are able to take care of one another and I do not wish to return to my pack. I will die if I should return." Fire Fang lowered her head and exhaled deeply. "I do not wish to die, at least not yet."

"Even if I considered the idea, how do I know I could trust you?" Sophia snarled. She became increasingly concerned that an ambush was going to take place at any moment.

"You have only my word," Fire Fang replied and bowed her head in submission. "If that is not enough to get you to trust me then I shall leave and not bother you again. But you should know Thrascar will not stop until you are dead and should it come down to it, he will personally come for you. Myself however, once he finds I have deserted the pack, I too shall be hunted down. Farewell," Fire Fang turned to leave.

Sophia watched as Fire Fang began to move away slowly but for some reason, she felt sympathy for the raptor. She knew she shouldn't but for some reason she felt as if the raptor was in a similar situation as she was in after the death of her pack. "I will let you come with us but only as long as you do what I tell you."

Fire Fang perked up and looked at Sophia almost excitedly. "You mean it?" Sophia slowly nodded but almost felt like she regretted it. Fire Fang walked towards Sophia and stopped a meter away. "Should I walk in front of you or beside, I believe you do not trust me enough to follow you."

"Beside me, and when, I mean we reach the shelter, you must be quiet because Amanda is asleep." Fire Fang nodded. "You'll be sleeping alone where I can see. If you have to leave for any reason, tell me and I shall escort you. For now, you have to do what I say, understand?"

"I do, I have basically traded one master for another less aggressive one." Fire Fang exhaled softly and looked down. "I will do as you say."

Sophia snorted in acceptance and gestured for Fire Fang to walk. It took them only a few minutes but they reached the shelter and Sophia quietly slipped in. Once she was assured of Amanda's and Silver Claw's safety, Sophia allowed Fire Fang to enter.

Fire Fang entered slowly with her head down and soon found that she was looking at Sophia standing over the sleeping Amanda. With a silent look from Sophia, she knew where she was sleeping, an area against the boulder that was near one of the exits. Once she had settled down, then Sophia felt at ease enough to lie beside Amanda. However, Sophia had lain with her head facing Fire Fang. She would not sleep easily if at all that night.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thrascar snarled excitedly as he looked out over his slain enemy, most if not all of the brown pack. He had led his pack out of the caves near to the enemy territory and from there they found four raptors of which he personally killed three. Only hours after the first blood had been shed, they found the nesting grounds and killed every male, female, and hatchling. Shortly after, the pack feasted on the graveyard of carcasses that surrounded the nesting grounds.

Now they only had to find the pack of the blue and white raptors and then the island would he his. Thrascar snarled again and looked to his pack which had lain down for a break after their effort. It had been just over hour since they had killed the enemy and eaten their fill. They were simply resting before they moved on from the area. There was something different however. Much of the pack was trembling and others were sprayed out in an unnatural position.

"What is going on? To your feet," Thrascar roared, but none did. In rage, he walked over and kicked one on the raptors. The body simply rolled over and then he could see the glazed look in the eye. The raptor was dead. A cold realization crept over him and he saw that his pack was dying or dead. Many sneeze and gag before keeling over and becoming still. "No, no, no!" Thrascar shouted and ran away from his pack. He would not die because of some illness.

In moments, he reached the edge of the field of tall grasses. He hesitated though. A feeling of being watched crept over him and he looked around. Then suddenly a ripple drifted through the jungle and a bright red carnotaurus revealed itself and charged. Thrascar roared and ran from the threat. He had to survive this day...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dawn came slowly to Isla Sorna. The red sun crept from the horizon casting morning rays across the soft pink sky. Light whiffs of cloud drifted lazily on gentle breezes while the last of the stars faded out of sight. A light fog, clinging mostly to the coast and refusing to relinquish its grip, surrounded the island and held its grasp as long as it could. The sweet and almost sorrowful songs of parasaurolophus and brachiosaurus drifted and echoed amongst the valleys and mountains. Among the canopy of the jungle's interior came the exotic song of the original island residents.

Silver Claw's eyes slowly opened. He exhaled sharply as the extent of his muscle aches hit him in full. His eyes shut and he just wanted to sleep again, that way he wouldn't hurt anymore. For a while, he just remained still but then a sound made him fill with excitement and he felt warmth roll over him. He heard a soft moan.

His eyes opened suddenly. Very quickly, Silver Claw buried his snout into the top of Amanda's head. She giggled softly in a sleep-like state as he continued rubbing against her and taking in her scent. In a moment, Silver Claw sat up and then began to nibble on her neck. The stiffness and soreness in his body seemed to disappear and instead was replaced with feelings of compassion and love for his mate.

Amanda said nothing when she awoke fully but instead embraced Silver Claw in a tight hug. However, she quickly released him and then just as quickly reached for his head. She pulled it before her face. Amanda could think of no other way better to express how she felt at that moment to see that he was alive. In a deep rush of emotion she placed her smooth lips against his scaled. His scales felt soft however and not like the harder scales which covered his body that were more for protection. She could taste the carnivore's scent that she had grown to love as his own that made him distinct from all others. Together they held tight the loving embrace until Amanda had to break away for air with a sudden and deep gasp as the rush of passion had taken her breath away. Before she could fully regain her breath, Amanda locked eyes with Silver Claw and then in a graceful motion, she buried her head into his welcoming neck, whispering, "I love you so much. I love you, my Silver Claw. Don't ever scare me like that again."

A grunt however broke the romantic moment and both Amanda and Silver Claw were filled with surprise as well as fear. A female of the greens stood over them and it was not Tessa. Silver Claw snarled and tried placing himself over Amanda to protect her. Sophia however was woken by the snarl and in thinking they were in trouble, stood up. She hit Fire Fang hard and collapsed to the ground while sending Fire Fang onto her side.

Sophia groaned and looked around. She saw only Silver Claw, Amanda, and Fire Fang. "What's going on? Where is the danger?"

"What is she doing here," Amanda hissed before Silver Claw could answer.

"Sophia was kind enough to allow me to join your group," Fire Fang answered. "I hope that in time I may be able to earn your trust. I am sorry for any inconveniences I may have caused recently." She then stood up and bowed her head in a submissive showing.

Sophia slowly stood up and looked at Amanda and Silver Claw. "You both were both a sleep and so I watched her all night, she didn't try anything."

"Actually Sophia," Fire Fang said softly, "You fell asleep before the moon had reached its peak in the night. I however remained awake the entire night and scared off some procompsognathus that were becoming a little too curious of this place. You seemed to be very tired."

In the distance came a call that instantly drew Sophia's attention. "Sophia, Amanda, Silver Claw?" The voice was Zenith and was soon followed by Ellie calling out in English, "Amanda, Sophia, Silver Claw where are you? If you can hear this, please answer!"

"Over here!" Sophia shouted with excitement in anticipation of seeing her Zenith again. She watched enthusiastically as within minutes the brush began to rustle and from it emerged Zenith with Ellie on his back. Ellie quickly hopped off and Zenith rushed to greet his mate with caring nuzzles of her snout.

Ellie smiled to see that Amanda, Silver Claw, and Sophia were alive. It took only a moment for her to notice the raptor out of place in the group but instantly recognized her. "What is that _thing_ doing here? It tried to kill me!"

Fire Fang looked at Ellie and snarled. "Murderer! You're without honor!" She raised her killing claws in an angered display and readied her shorter claws at the end of her fingers. "You attack at distance like a coward with weapons of shame just like my captors!"

Ellie didn't catch most of what had been said but she knew the general tone. With a quick reach behind her she drew the knife she had injured the male with and held it so that the blade was along the side of her arm instead of pointing outward. "I left your friend crippled so don't think I can't do it to you!"

"Stop it both of you," Sophia snapped, her reunion with Zenith had been disrupted by their bickering and she was not in the mood for any aggravation. She then stood up.

Fire Fang bowed her head and in a soft tone said, "I am sorry, it is just this human is a source of anger for me." Fire Fang showed her teeth and hissed at Ellie. "She attacked us when we were following the human trials of stone that are everywhere on this island."

"I don't have time for this," Ellie said and looked at Amanda. "We have to get you back to the cave Amanda, your father is there. He isn't doing too well." Ellie kept a hesitant eye on the raptor watching her but soon put away the knife. "He was shot and I am way over my head when it comes to this sort of thing. I can basically bandage something but he needs surgery. I made a call but they won't be able to reach us until tomorrow.

Amanda's lip began to quiver. Even though he had made those comments about her, he was still her father and she loved him no matter what. If he was dying, she had to be there and if he wasn't she had to be there for him anyway. Amanda looked at Silver Claw and knew he may be too weak to make it there quickly. Amanda gulped some air and tried to hold back the tears. "We have to go then. Is some one watching over him?"

"Yes," Ellie replied. "Tessa and Tom are keeping an eye on him."


End file.
